A stopgap funding measure was passed by the House on Thursday, funding the government through November 21 and averting a shutdown set for September 30.
The continuing resolution was passed by a vote of 301-123, giving it broad, bipartisan support when it goes to the Senate for a vote next week.
As usual, passage was not without drama.
The measure, known as a continuing resolution or CR, was unexpectedly pulled from the House Rules Committee due to a lack of consensus on provisions including health care funding extensions and aid to farmers dealing with the repercussions of the trade war with China.
The bill text was ultimately released Wednesday evening after bipartisan, bicameral negotiators reached a deal on the provisions.
Ultimately, several of the more controversial issues were left on the table to be decided later.
House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) noted that the legislation did not include any partisan riders that could have derailed it from passing both chambers.
“This legislation avoids controversial policy provisions that have slowed down the appropriations process, and that, if included, would jeopardize passage,” she said on the floor ahead of the vote.
“For example, it does not include an anomaly requested by the Trump administration to allow wall building outside the Rio Grande valley. At the same time, the CR contains provisions that reflect shared priorities, including allowing the Census Bureau to ramp up preparations for the 2020 census.”
The biggest issue is still construction of the border wall. When Congress takes up negotiations again in November, it will probably once again lead to a partial government shutdown. Nobody’s position has changed on the wall and neither party seems willing to strike a deal.
Indeed, there’s no deal to be struck. Trump has done all he can as a chief executive to fund his wall, but he’s far short of achieving his goal. He will need Congress to approve the bulk of the funding. This, Democrats can never agree to. Too many of their favored constituencies are unalterably opposed to building a wall, leaving both parties with nowhere to go.
It’s going to take all of Trump’s deal-making skills to find a way through this mess and avoid another painful shutdown.
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