Posted on Sep 27, 2016
Government shutdown looms as lawmakers spar over budget p | Military Times
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TITLE: Government Shutdown Looms as Lawmakers Spar Over Budget Plan
A 10-week budget extension to keep federal programs running through the November elections stalled in the Senate on Tuesday, raising the prospect of a government shutdown at the end of the week.
The continuing resolution would have not only provided funding through Dec. 9 but also would have finalized more than $180 billion in Veterans Affairs and military construction money for all of fiscal 2017. Instead, it was sidelined over a fight between Republican and Democratic leaders over how to provide emergency funding for the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
If a deal is not reached by midnight on Sept. 30, most federal programs would not have money to continue, although government workers with “essential” job functions would be required to continue working without pay. That includes service members and a host of key military support posts held by civilians.
During the last extended government shutdown, in October 2013, nearly 800,000 federal employees were furloughed and some veterans benefits checks were threatened.
Since then, Congress has passed a series of bills to keep most VA programs running uninterrupted even in the event of a partial shutdown. So far, neither defense nor VA officials have sent out notices to employees this month warning of the effects of another shutdown.
After the failed vote on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said officials will continue working on the issue through the week.
He accused Democrats of not being serious about “supporting veterans and tackling Zika and flood relief and the heroin prescription opioid crisis,” and using the funding deadline as a pre-election political distraction.
But leaders from both parties still appeared optimistic that a deal can be reached in the next three days. Whether that plan also includes long-term funding for veterans programs and military construction remains unclear.
If Senate negotiators reach a deal, they’ll need to get the plan approved by the House before the weekend to avoid a shutdown. Both chambers are scheduled to behind an extended pre-election break next Monday, returning to Capitol Hill on Nov. 14.
A 10-week budget extension to keep federal programs running through the November elections stalled in the Senate on Tuesday, raising the prospect of a government shutdown at the end of the week.
The continuing resolution would have not only provided funding through Dec. 9 but also would have finalized more than $180 billion in Veterans Affairs and military construction money for all of fiscal 2017. Instead, it was sidelined over a fight between Republican and Democratic leaders over how to provide emergency funding for the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
If a deal is not reached by midnight on Sept. 30, most federal programs would not have money to continue, although government workers with “essential” job functions would be required to continue working without pay. That includes service members and a host of key military support posts held by civilians.
During the last extended government shutdown, in October 2013, nearly 800,000 federal employees were furloughed and some veterans benefits checks were threatened.
Since then, Congress has passed a series of bills to keep most VA programs running uninterrupted even in the event of a partial shutdown. So far, neither defense nor VA officials have sent out notices to employees this month warning of the effects of another shutdown.
After the failed vote on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said officials will continue working on the issue through the week.
He accused Democrats of not being serious about “supporting veterans and tackling Zika and flood relief and the heroin prescription opioid crisis,” and using the funding deadline as a pre-election political distraction.
But leaders from both parties still appeared optimistic that a deal can be reached in the next three days. Whether that plan also includes long-term funding for veterans programs and military construction remains unclear.
If Senate negotiators reach a deal, they’ll need to get the plan approved by the House before the weekend to avoid a shutdown. Both chambers are scheduled to behind an extended pre-election break next Monday, returning to Capitol Hill on Nov. 14.
Government shutdown looms as lawmakers spar over budget p | Military Times
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Posted 8 y ago
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SPC Britanny *Winnie* Balthaser
CPT Pedro Meza SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL I am so tired of getting to this point in time every year and the same issue of not paying servicemembers and those that work in Government jobs...How can they continue to do this to them and their families? And an election year would be the year not to be a total wackjob on these issues. We need to take back Capitol Hill. These congress people should not get a dime during this shut downs and should have to pay troops and employees that are required to work, Oh and wait til they take a recess for the holidays and push of certain issues or make a vote last minute.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL every year in late September the Federal budget drama takes place as our annual budget system's funding clock runs down.
One day I hope that budgets could be passed without pork riders.
I had to chuckle when liberals are pushing for Zika funding since the most vulnerable to Zika are pregnant mothers and their future children since these same people are lock-step in favor of funding induced abortion which is focused on killing those same yet-to-born children. Cognitive dissonance is alive in Washington D.C.
I shared the following a few days ago and am reposting since it seems germaine to the disciussion.
image: A man walks as he leaves the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
"Stop-Gap Bill To Avoid Government Shutdown Fails Senate Procedural Vote
September 27, 2016
By David Morgan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A stop-gap funding bill to avoid a federal government shutdown later this week failed to garner enough votes to move forward in the Senate on Tuesday, with Democrats and Republicans both opposing the measure.
The must-pass continuing resolution, or CR, which would keep federal agencies operating from Saturday through Dec. 9, received only 45 of the 60 votes needed to limit debate and be considered for passage by the 100-seat Republican-controlled Senate.
Forty Democrats and two independents opposed the CR because it lacked a $220 million aid package to address the drinking-water crisis in Flint, Michigan. It also drew opposition from 13 Republicans.
Senate leaders said they would explore alternatives to avoid a shutdown.
Without an extension, many federal agencies will run out of operating funds when the government fiscal year expires at midnight on Friday.
The bill includes $1.1 billion to combat the Zika virus and $500 million for flood relief in Louisiana and other states.
“This is a 10-week funding bill. Its contents command broad support. It contains zero controversial riders,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said before the vote.
Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives vowed to oppose the resolution until Republicans agree to a Flint aid package that the Senate passed by a 95-3 margin this month as part of a separate water resources bill.
Flint, a city with over 100,000 people, has had lead-tainted drinking water for more than two years.
Democrats, who say it is unfair to aid flood-ravaged areas and not Flint, want Republicans to include Flint aid in the CR or a version of the water resources bill that the House will vote on this week. Republicans say they will consider Flint later. Both sides say the aid package is paid for.
“There is no excuse – none – for not including this provision,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat.
McConnell told reporters he would consider the possibility of removing the flood-relief provision from the CR to win support from Democrats.
“Let’s see him do it,” Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said when asked about McConnell’s remarks.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, the former Republican presidential candidate, voted against the CR a week after he tried unsuccessfully to add a provision preventing oversight of the internet’s technical management from being transferred on Oct. 1 to a global community of stakeholders."
http://www.oann.com/stop-gap-bill-to-avoid-government-shutdown-fails-senate-procedural-vote/
One day I hope that budgets could be passed without pork riders.
I had to chuckle when liberals are pushing for Zika funding since the most vulnerable to Zika are pregnant mothers and their future children since these same people are lock-step in favor of funding induced abortion which is focused on killing those same yet-to-born children. Cognitive dissonance is alive in Washington D.C.
I shared the following a few days ago and am reposting since it seems germaine to the disciussion.
image: A man walks as he leaves the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
"Stop-Gap Bill To Avoid Government Shutdown Fails Senate Procedural Vote
September 27, 2016
By David Morgan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A stop-gap funding bill to avoid a federal government shutdown later this week failed to garner enough votes to move forward in the Senate on Tuesday, with Democrats and Republicans both opposing the measure.
The must-pass continuing resolution, or CR, which would keep federal agencies operating from Saturday through Dec. 9, received only 45 of the 60 votes needed to limit debate and be considered for passage by the 100-seat Republican-controlled Senate.
Forty Democrats and two independents opposed the CR because it lacked a $220 million aid package to address the drinking-water crisis in Flint, Michigan. It also drew opposition from 13 Republicans.
Senate leaders said they would explore alternatives to avoid a shutdown.
Without an extension, many federal agencies will run out of operating funds when the government fiscal year expires at midnight on Friday.
The bill includes $1.1 billion to combat the Zika virus and $500 million for flood relief in Louisiana and other states.
“This is a 10-week funding bill. Its contents command broad support. It contains zero controversial riders,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said before the vote.
Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives vowed to oppose the resolution until Republicans agree to a Flint aid package that the Senate passed by a 95-3 margin this month as part of a separate water resources bill.
Flint, a city with over 100,000 people, has had lead-tainted drinking water for more than two years.
Democrats, who say it is unfair to aid flood-ravaged areas and not Flint, want Republicans to include Flint aid in the CR or a version of the water resources bill that the House will vote on this week. Republicans say they will consider Flint later. Both sides say the aid package is paid for.
“There is no excuse – none – for not including this provision,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat.
McConnell told reporters he would consider the possibility of removing the flood-relief provision from the CR to win support from Democrats.
“Let’s see him do it,” Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said when asked about McConnell’s remarks.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, the former Republican presidential candidate, voted against the CR a week after he tried unsuccessfully to add a provision preventing oversight of the internet’s technical management from being transferred on Oct. 1 to a global community of stakeholders."
http://www.oann.com/stop-gap-bill-to-avoid-government-shutdown-fails-senate-procedural-vote/
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Is this all our lawmakers do? How many of these have we had over the years!
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