Lawmakers had all year to work out a budget/funding level for fiscal year (FY) 2023, which starts Oct. 1. Of course, they didn’t make it and now, again, there’s a need for a stopgap spending bill, the so-called Continuing Resolution (CR). But also as usual, there are disagreements regarding what policy moves may go along for the ride.
Where Politicians Stand
Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) says he opposes attaching environmental streamlining provisions for energy infrastructure projects to a CR. He said in a statement there is an “ongoing conversation” on the topic and legislation that could adversely affect the environment shouldn’t be included in a “must-pass” bill.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Thursday he needs as many as 20 Senate Republicans to vote for his plan to streamline the federal approval for energy projects to counter Democratic defections — casting doubt on the effort to tie his bill to a must-pass spending bill this month.
“If it doesn’t get on the continuing resolution, it’s dead,” Manchin said.
Other Possible Continuing Resolution Provisions
Lawmakers are also eyeing the CR package as a vehicle for Food and Drug Administration user fees and school meals, among other provisions like Ag disaster aid for eligible 2022 crop and livestock producers.
The disaster aid legislation is widely expected to be part of a post-election, lame-duck session of Congress that will be part of an omnibus spending measure for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2023. That makes some sense because it will give more time to see how the 2022 ag sector season unfolds (potential hurricanes, blizzards, etc.).
The level of potential disaster aid is murky because USDA reportedly has told lawmakers there are still around $3 billion in ag disaster aid funding remaining for 2020 and 2021 disasters. So, at this time it is difficult to say what dollar amount Congress will settle on by year’s end.
Also, USDA still has not announced phase two for either the Emergency Program (ERP) or Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP). Recall that the White House/USDA requested $1.5 billion for disaster assistance in the Continuing Resolution, but some sources wonder how serious that request really was, thinking it was more messaging than anything else.
Besides temporarily funding the government, which Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) called “the one thing we must do between now and September 30th,” other issues such as policing and public safety, restricting members from trading stocks, and data privacy are stuck in negotiations — and in some cases stymied by disagreements among Democrats.
The Senate is scheduled to come back for two weeks in mid-October, but there’s talk the work period weeks might be canceled to give lawmakers more time on the campaign trail.
