Congress is struggling once again to reach a deal on government funding and avert a shutdown at the end of the week.
Lawmakers are facing a ‘Christmas crisis’ forcing them to work right up until the holiday weekend and afterward, if they can’t agree on regular spending bills this week and must pass a temporary 1-week deal.
American Farm Bureau Federation’s Emily Buckman on the need to act before current temporary funding expires midnight Friday. Buckman; “We certainly, as an organization, American Farm Bureau, we do not want the government to shut down, that is not beneficial for anyone. We hope that we see funding for FY ’23 get to the finish line.”
Longtime Iowa Senate Ag Republican Chuck Grassley pointed out before the current spending extension, the political and fiscal imperative of avoiding a shutdown.
Grassley; “Government can’t be shut down, so we’re going to be operating under a Continuing Resolution, which means, continued spending now at the level we had in the present fiscal year.”
AFB’s Buckman says amid Senate disagreement over a top-line funding number and riders like an election overhaul measure. Buckman; “American Farm Bureau did recently send a letter requesting for assistance for losses occurred, disaster assistance, for losses occurred in 2022, as a result of low-temperature events, wildfires, recent hurricanes. We certainly, have heard a lot from our membership over the last year, about how important disaster assistance is.”
Democrats want parity between domestic and defense spending, Republicans, domestic cuts after big hikes by Democrats in covid relief and other areas…while House GOP leaders want a funding extension into January when they will control the House gavel.
