An end to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is finally in sight following a bipartisan breakthrough. Here’s what comes next after the Senate took a critical procedural step Sunday night.
WHEN THE SENATE WILL WRAP — It’s possible the Senate passes the deal Monday, depending on whether leaders can secure unanimous consent to speed ahead.
Getting to the finish line will require amending the House-passed continuing resolution to include three full-year appropriations bills for a number of programs plus a new CR for the rest of the government through Jan. 30.
Conversations are ongoing about accelerating the timing. Key players to watch are progressive senators who blasted the deal as well as Sen. Rand Paul, who is upset over the impact the agriculture appropriations piece of the bill would have on hemp.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters following Sunday night’s vote that it “remains to be seen” how quickly the Senate will be able to get to a final vote on the deal, including if senators will agree to yield back time Monday. Paul wants a vote to remove the hemp language and a “guarantee,” according to Thune, that it will be successful.
“We’ll see how motivated people are [Monday],” Thune said.
TRUMP AND THE HOUSE — The House GOP leadership circle expects to pass the deal once President Donald Trump leans on House Republicans to back it. House Republican leaders plan to give 36 hours’ notice to members before voting.
Senior Senate Republicans worked behind the scenes with House Republicans through several issues during negotiations, but GOP hardliners are expected to grumble about pieces of the funding bill.
While many House Democrats will likely come out against it, a handful of centrist Democrats could consider voting for the plan. Keep an eye on purple-district Democrats including Reps. Jared Golden, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Henry Cuellar.
Golden voted for the original House-passed CR. Cuellar praised the compromise on X, saying: “It’s past time to put country over party and get our government working again for the American people.”
What else we’re watching:
— A bipartisan duo’s ACA proposal: Reps. Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.) and Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) are releasing a bill Monday that would extend expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits for two years. Unlike legislation from Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) that would enact a clean extension, the bill from Liccardo and Kiley would cap eligibility for the credits at those making six times poverty-level income. For a family of four, that would be $192,900.
In a bid to “pay for” the legislation, the bill would target “upcoding” in Medicare Advantage and impose new penalties on brokers who submit false applications to enroll in the ACA.
— House movement on stock trading limits: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) says that Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed to her that the House would begin to move forward on proposed bipartisan stock trading restrictions once the government reopens. The bill, which many Republican House members oppose because of the impacts on lawmakers’ finances, would face an uncertain fate in the House, and there’s skepticism from Johnson’s leadership circle on how to pass it. Johnson has pledged in private conversations to work on the issue.
Mia McCarthy and Benjamin Guggenheim contributed to this report.
Read the full article here