Congress Reaches Deal to Fund Government Through Mid-December, Avoiding Shutdown 

Congress is expected to pass a bipartisan short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government through December 20. A previous version of the CR included House language around election security that would have funded the government through the month of March, however the bill could not get the support needed to pass last week. Today, lawmakers are expected to pass an altered agreement that removes the election security language and extends government funding through December, past the 2024 General Election in November.  

The agreement will bypass the House Rules Committee where GOP leaders expected resistance from conservatives and be voted on by the full House of Representatives tonight. Mainstream lawmakers on both sides are expected to provide the necessary two-thirds majority required to pass the bill and send it over to the Senate.   

What’s Next:  

• The Senate is expected to fast track the bill to a vote as soon as they receive it from the House. The agreement could pass in that chamber as soon as tonight before heading to President Biden for passage.  

• Congress will leave Washington to start their October Recess which runs through mid-November. Lawmakers will be back on the campaign trail for the final six week stretch to November 5.  

• Lawmakers will return to Washington in mid-November to a busy lame-duck session where 12 appropriations bills will need to be passed along with defense funding and the long-awaited farm bill.