The White House is pressuring Congress to reach agreement on annual government funding bills, as negotiations on either side have not progressed much in recent months.
The Office of Budget and Management (OMB) said in a fact sheet sent on Friday that Congress must “reach a bipartite and bicameral agreement” on annual appropriation bills for fiscal year 2022 in the coming weeks. .
The bills, the office said, will be crucial in meeting the nation’s “critical needs”, including funding to “improve preparedness for future public health crises”, strengthen defense preparedness and modernization, providing “overdue investments in electoral infrastructure”, supporting children in the poorest schools and “ensuring access to student loans and student aid”.
While the bureau recognized the annual appropriation bills presented by Democrats in the House and Senate to fund the government for the coming year, it said it “looks forward to seeing a proposal from the Republicans. House and Senate “to continue bipartisan negotiations.
With government funding for fiscal 2021 set to expire in late September, Congress passed an eleventh hour interim bill to keep government funded at previous year’s spending levels to save time for negotiations. .
The legislation allows the government to remain funded until early December. Congress is expected to pass another Continuing Resolution (CR) in the coming weeks to avoid a stop amid a deadlock between Republicans and Democrats over spending.
Vice-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Richard shelbyRichard Craig ShelbyGraham warns GOP about Trump’s anger over debt vote GOP tries to block votes on McConnell’s debt deal House approves bill to facilitate passage of the increase in the debt ceiling PLUS (R-Ala.) Said last week that a CR will likely be needed by December while denouncing the so-called poison pills in Democratic spending proposals.
“If there is no progress, we could move towards an annual RC. A lot of people would like that, ”he told reporters at the time.
But the senator Patrick leahy
Patrick Joseph LeahyLt. Gov. of Vermont Launches Offer for US MPs Remember Bob Dole: ‘A True American Hero’ Biden Signs Four Bills To Help Veterans MORE (D-Vt.), Who heads the credit committee, said at the time that resorting to multiple continuous resolutions “is not a responsible way to govern.”
“The Republicans seem to want to lead us to a continuous full year resolution,” he said. “Democrats made a good faith offer last month that called for a 5% increase in defense spending, which is consistent with the bipartisan NDAA. [National Defense Authorization Act], but it takes two to negotiate.
“We still haven’t received a leading offer in response to ours,” Leahy said.
The OMB also warned of a full-year CR in its post on Friday.
“Reaching an agreement on appropriations and avoiding maintaining 2021 funding levels as part of a year-round rolling resolution (CR) is key to the priorities,” the bureau said.
“Congress has a long history of making bipartisan credit agreements that benefit the American people and fund essential public health services. Over the next few weeks, lawmakers have the option and the obligation to do it again, ”the office added.
