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The United States federal government is expected to shutdown from midnight EST on March 23, 2024. If a shutdown occurs, it will be the first during the presidency of Joe Biden.[1]
Background edit
The 2022 midterm elections resulted in a narrow Senate majority for the Democratic Party and a House of Representatives majority for the Republican Party. In the 118th Congress, the Freedom Caucus congressional caucus, has secured a number of House of Representatives seats. Kevin McCarthy, leader of the House Republican Conference, was elected speaker of the House after several days of voting as opposition—primarily led by members of the Freedom Caucus—mounted against him; McCarthy conceded to his opponents to negotiate their support for his speakership.[2]
In May 2023, McCarthy negotiated with president Joe Biden on a deal to resolve a debt-ceiling crisis and an imminent debt default. In response, Republicans, led by Matt Gaetz, blocked a bill protecting gas stoves against federal regulations[3] in order to force McCarthy to choose between acquiescing to the insurgents and passing legislation that would face resistance in the Senate, or to work with Democrats and contend with a potential ousting.[4] Grievances among Republicans quelled several days later after an agreement was made, but Freedom Caucus members threatened that a blockade could occur if their demands were not met.[5]
On September 29, the House Committee on Rules convened to consider a continuing resolution to fund the federal government for an additional month with border security measures.[6] The bill failed 198—232 in the House, with far-right Republicans defying McCarthy.[7] The following day, hours before a shutdown was expected to occur, McCarthy announced that he would support a continuing resolution without aid for Ukraine.[8] The House passed the bill under suspension of the rules a few hours later. Nearly the entire Democratic Caucus supported the resolution, and it was approved in the Senate.[9]
As he had previously threatened to do if McCarthy put a clean continuing resolutions on the floor, Gaetz introduced a motion to vacate and it passed 216–210, with 8 Republicans and all Democrats voting yes, removing McCarthy as speaker.[10] On October 25, Mike Johnson was elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives by a vote of 220–209.[11] Johnson implemented the strategy of passing individual appropriations, however only HR 4821, 4364 and 4394 passed the House before the budget deadline elapsed; a Continuing Resolution passed the House on November 14 with bipartisan support.[12] The Senate passed the bill on November 15. The CR extends funding for four appropriations bills - Transportation/Housing and Urban Development, Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, Energy/Water, and Agriculture/Rural Development/Food and Drug Administration - until January 19, 2024, with the remaining bills extended until February 2.[13]
On February 29, the House passed a short-term continuing resolution extending the funding deadline to March 8 for the first four appropriations bills in the November and January CRs, and to March 22 for the rest.[14] The bill passed the Senate as well on March 1, and was signed into law by President Biden later the same day.
On March 3, 2024, House and Senate appropriators released a "minibus" spending package containing six of the twelve appropriations bills. The bill provides funding for the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Energy, Interior, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. It also provides appropriations for the EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and other military construction.[15] Democrats cheered full funding for WIC programs and the lack of "poison pill" riders promoted by Republicans. Republicans cheered cuts to the FBI, ATF, and EPA, although Democrats contested the extent of the cuts.[16] The rightmost faction of the Republican conference harshly opposed the deal, arguing it did not contain any substantial conservative policy;[17] the proposal also drew criticism from some Democrats, who expressed concern over a provision allowing mentally incompetent veterans to buy guns in certain circumstances.[18] The minibus deal passed the House on Wednesday, March 6, and the Senate on March 8; it was signed into law by President Biden on Saturday, March 9. The passage of the bill on coincided with two other major political events that week: Super Tuesday (on Tuesday, March 5) and 2024 State of the Union Address (on Thursday, March 7).
Beginning of shutdown edit
Shutdown edit
The potential shutdown would begin from midnight EST on March 23, 2024.[1]
Legislation edit
118th Congress edit
Effects edit
Agencies edit
On federal employees edit
On Native Americans edit
On the military edit
Economic impact edit
Taxes edit
Food stamps, inspections, and school lunches edit
National parks and capital museums edit
Closures or limited access edit
Airspace and aviation workers edit
On airports edit
Judiciary and law enforcement edit
Homeland security edit
Other agencies edit
Reactions edit
Protests and lawsuits edit
Members of Congress donating or refusing salary edit
Aid for federal employees edit
Public opinion edit
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Freking, Kevin; Jalonick, Mary Clare (March 22, 2024). "Senate struggles to wrap up $1.2 trillion funding package as partial shutdown deadline nears". AP News. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ Karni, Annie (June 7, 2023). "House Is Paralyzed as Far-Right Rebels Continue Mutiny Against McCarthy". The New York Times. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Karni, Annie (June 7, 2023). "House Is Paralyzed as Far-Right Rebels Continue Mutiny Against McCarthy". The New York Times. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Hulse, Carl (June 8, 2023). "Kevin McCarthy Facing Tough Choices After House Mutiny". The New York Times. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Karni, Annie (June 12, 2023). "Hard Right Agrees to Allow House Votes but Threatens Continued Blockade". The New York Times. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ Wang, Amy (September 29, 2023). "House Rules Committee considering GOP-led stopgap funding bill". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Edmondson, Catie; Guo, Kayla; Hulse, Carl (September 29, 2023). "Right Wing Tanks Stopgap Bill in House, Pushing Government Toward a Shutdown". The New York Times. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Kane, Paul; McDaniel, Justine (September 29, 2023). "McCarthy says he'd support a bill without Ukraine aid or border funds". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ "Senate Voting to Keep Government Running Through Mid-November". The New York Times. September 30, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Schapitl, Lexie (October 11, 2023). "Consensus remains elusive as Republicans try to elect a House speaker". NPR. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "House elects Mike Johnson as Speaker, ending GOP chaos". The Hill. October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ Edmondson, Catie (November 14, 2023). "House Passes Johnson's Plan to Avert Shutdown in Bipartisan Vote". The New York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Bogage, Jacob (November 16, 2023). "Senate passes bill to avert government shutdown, sending it to Biden to sign". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ Yilek, Caitlin (February 29, 2024). "Congress passes short-term funding extension to avert government shutdown - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
- ^ Murray, Ashley (March 5, 2024). "Five months late, Congress is poised to pass a huge chunk of federal spending". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ punchbowlnews (March 4, 2024). "☀️ AM: Congress' big week: SOTU and government funding". Punchbowl News. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ Mike Lillis, Mychael Schnell (March 5, 2024). "House conservatives fume over deal backed by Johnson". The Hill. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ "Veterans Deemed 'Mentally Incompetent' Will Gain Gun Rights Under New Funding Bill".