House Republicans released their plan to fund the government for a short time and avoid a shutdown at the end of the week. The plan will extend the deadline for a shutdown until February 16 from the current January 19 dropoff using a continuing resolution (CR). The CR will extend the current level of funding for most federal programs for nearly a month. In addition to the funding extension, the plan tacks on a series of healthcare, tax, and military funding changes. Some of those extras reportedly include: Whether or not the bill will pass is questionable. Democrats have demanded that any funding bill include a codification of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration program. Additionally, Republican defence hawks have bristled at the idea of another CR instead of steady, long-term funding for the military. Outside of the House fight, the plan will also need some support from Senate Democrats in order to avoid a filibuster in that body. Site highlights each day to … [Read more...] about House Republicans just released their plan to avoid a disastrous government shutdown
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Republicans are set to release their plan to avoid a disastrous government shutdown
House Republicans will roll out their bill to avoid a government shutdown and fund the government for around a month. The funding extension will push back the deadline for a shutdown from January 19 to February 16. The bill will also include extras like funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program and a delay of some Obamacare taxes. House Republicans released their plan to fund the government for a short time and avoid a shutdown at the end of the week. The plan will extend the deadline for a shutdown until February 16 from the current January 19 dropoff using a continuing resolution (CR). The CR will extend the current level of funding for most federal programs for nearly a month. In addition to the funding extension, the plan tacks on a series of healthcare, tax, and military funding changes. Some of those extras reportedly include:Funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for … [Read more...] about Republicans are set to release their plan to avoid a disastrous government shutdown
The bill to avoid a government shutdown could include a slew of changes to Obamacare’s taxes
Congress is attempting to avoid a government shutdown by the end of Friday, and their efforts could make significant changes to the healthcare landscape as well. According to The Hill’s Peter Sullivan, delays of the implementation for a number of taxes built into the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, could be included in the funding bill. A delay of the medical device tax – a 2.3% tax on the sale of certain devices – which was eliminated in 2016 and 2017 but goes back into effect in 2018, could be added. Additionally, either a one or two year delay of the so-called Cadillac tax on high-end insurance plans and the Health Insurance Tax on all plans could be added to the bill, according to The Hill. GOP Rep. Kevin Brady, the chair of the Ways and Means committee, told reporters on Thursday that the Cadillac tax was of particular interest for Republican members. The Cadillac tax has been frequently delayed as it is not politically popular with constituents on either … [Read more...] about The bill to avoid a government shutdown could include a slew of changes to Obamacare’s taxes
Congress is hurtling toward a government shutdown — and Trump is making everything worse
Congressional leaders are running out of time to get a deal to avoid a government shutdown, and President Donald Trump isn’t simplifying things. At the stroke of midnight on Friday, the federal government will enter a partial shutdown if Congress does not pass a bill to fund operations. With little more than three days to go, Republicans and Democrats remain divided on several issues, including spending caps and immigration. Not helping matters is a fight over Trump’s reported inflammatory comments about Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations that many have called racist. There is still a chance of another kick-the-can-down-the-road extension of federal funding, similar to delays in September and December, but a government shutdown is becoming likelier, according to policy analysts. “This current round of negotiations is the closest we will come to a government shutdown in the Trump presidency,” Ed Mills, a public policy analyst at Raymond James, wrote in a … [Read more...] about Congress is hurtling toward a government shutdown — and Trump is making everything worse
This is the central spending issue that could make or break the government shutdown fight
Congress is hurtling toward yet another government shutdown deadline on Friday and while the focus for this round of negotiations is on immigration, there is one key issue that will determine whether the January 19 deadline comes and goes without an agreement. Congress must still decide exactly how much funding to provide for defence and non-defence functions of the government. So far this fiscal year, short-term funding bills passed before the few shutdown deadlines maintained last year’s spending levels for federal programs – but Congress wants to increase spending for the new year. There are limitations on how large the funding increases can be because of the spending caps triggered in 2013 by the 2011 Budget Control Act. These caps on the amount the government can increase spending for defence and non-defence spending from year to year are much lower than lawmakers want. Both Democrats and Republicans want to come to an agreement in order to increase those levels … [Read more...] about This is the central spending issue that could make or break the government shutdown fight