How can you tell when Congress is getting closer to a funding deadline? The Capitol Hill pharmacy runs out of foundation makeup.
You see, no one wants to look like normal, aging people when the TV cameras are on and the klieg lights are hot. A dab or two of expertly applied makeup does wonders for the skin.
The current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. As of now, only 6 of 12 appropriations bills have been passed to fund the government for FY 2025. And those were the easy ones. Still to come are appropriations bills with all the poison pills dealing with transgender issues, illegal aliens, abortion, and other hot-button social issues.
While six weeks seems like a a lot of time, for Congress the time is counted in "legislative days." Since Congress is the laziest bunch of yahoos in Washington, that means there's just a handful of days left before everyone screams "SHUTDOWN!" and the world ends … or something.
The Senate is not in session during the entire month of August. The House is in session for two days. This light schedule in August is a holdover from the days in the 1950s and before when the Capitol building had no air conditioning. Since Washington D.C. is in a literal swamp, the fetid, foul air was just too much to bear for the delicate flowers that sat in the ornate but oppressive chambers. (Former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker claimed that the federal budget began to explode once Congress got AC and the House and Senate could be in session in July and August.)
All told, there are just 12 days left when both Houses are in session before fiscal Armageddon hits on Oct. 1.
Do you know what that means, Shutdown Theater fans? That's right: we're looking at a Continuing Resolution (CR) to over-fund the government until after the election.
For the Freedom Caucus, this is the time to begin their game of "Chicken" with Democrats. This time, it's a threat to shut down the government unless Democrats get behind the SAVE Act. What red-blooded American politician who wants to get re-elected wouldn't support an act that SAVED … something, someone, anything?
Evil Democrats, that's who. (Chuck Schumer twirls his Snidely Whiplash mustache while Kamala Harris cackles in the background.)
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SAVE stands for Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would prevent illegal aliens and other non-citizens from voting in American elections. It would amend the "Motor Voter" law that registers people to vote when they get a driver's license to require the states to get proof of citizenship.
The House Freedom Caucus is demanding that the SAVE Act be included in any CR. Democrats are not inclined to support the SAVE Act, either because they like the idea of illegal aliens voting or it's incredibly unnecessary.
For whatever reason, Democrats are not going to budge, which means Republicans are going to need a lot of Democratic votes to pass a CR, putting Speaker Mike Johnson's job once again in jeopardy. ("I'll take 'House speakers who lost their jobs' for $800, Ken.")
“[T]he continuing resolution should include the SAVE Act—as called for by [former President Donald] Trump—to prevent noncitizens from voting, to preserve free and fair elections in light of the millions of illegal aliens imported by the Biden-Harris administration over the last four years,” said a statement on Monday from the 39-member caucus Freedom Caucus.
House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) wants to finish the other six appropriations bills before the end of the year. But with the CR on the horizon, he's not likely to achieve that goal.
There are splits within the GOP over the length of a stopgap, with some arguing that a shorter timeline would avoid a spending fight during the first 100 days of a new administration.
Multiple senior GOP sources confirmed there are no plans to bring lawmakers back early as lawmakers hit the campaign trail ahead of November.
While it will be nearly impossible for Congress to pass all its spending bills and strike a compromise that can pass both chambers on deadline, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is asserting they will continue to get as much done as possible through regular order.
"The House has made significant progress advancing FY25 appropriations bills," Johnson spokeswoman Athina Lawson said in a statement.
"The House will continue its successful effort to responsibly fund the government for FY25 when it returns from its district work period," the Freedom Caucus said in their statement.
There's nothing "responsible" about it. The FY 2025 deficit is expected to top $2 trillion. But when you're playing a part in Shutdown Theater, you can always pretend you're acting "responsibly."
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