The shutdown clock is ticking on Capitol Hill as lawmakers glance to fund the federal government by way of the looming March 14 closing date, an effort that has up to now been unsuccessful as the 2 events industry blame over who’s answerable for the lengthen.
“We are working hard to do our responsibility to keep the government open,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-L. a..) stated on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
The scramble to stay the lighting on in Washington — which is predicted to select up in urgency this week — comes as President Trump is ready to ship his first primary speech prior to Congress, an cope with this is going down amid a second of top polarization sparked by way of one of the vital president’s debatable efforts and feedback associated with home and international coverage problems.
The president’s speech is scheduled to start on Tuesday at round 9 p.m.
At the Senate facet, the higher chamber is poised to verify Linda McMahon to be the following secretary of Training, as Trump appears to be like to dismantle the dep.. And the Senate is ready to vote on law that seeks to bar transgender athletes from collaborating in women’ and womens’ sports activities.
The race to fund the federal government
The highest center of attention on Capitol Hill this week shall be investment the federal government and warding off a shutdown, as lawmakers race the clock to stay the lighting on in Washington prior to the March 14 closing date.
The plan to succeed in that objective stays unclear.
All through an look on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Johnson stated he needs to cross a blank proceeding solution (CR) to fund the federal government throughout the finish of September — which might stay investment ranges flat for the rest of the fiscal yr — an concept Trump recommended final week.
The feedback from the Speaker replicate the truth of the placement: With little time left prior to the closing date and no bipartisan deal in sight, lawmakers must glance to transport a stopgap relatively than the 12 appropriations expenses which can be most often used to fund the federal government. The CR must be bipartisan, since Republicans have a narrow majority within the Space and the Senate GOP convention wishes a minimum of 60 votes to transparent this kind of measure within the higher chamber.
The Speaker, alternatively, stated Democrats “to this point shown no interest in finding a reasonable solution for that,” proceeding the partisan back-and-forth that has plagued the federal government investment talks for weeks. Johnson stated “Democrats have to help negotiate this.”
Democrats were pushing for assurances in executive investment law that Trump will correctly direct the finances appropriated by way of Congress.
Space Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), in the meantime, rejected Johnson’s characterization of the present state of affairs. In a commentary later within the day on Sunday, the Democratic chief accused Republicans of strolling clear of the federal government investment talks.
“House Democrats are committed to funding the government in a manner that promotes the economic well-being, health and safety of everyday Americans,” Jeffries stated. “The top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, Rosa DeLauro, remains ready, willing and able to talk with our Republican colleagues, but there has been zero outreach from the Trump administration and House Republicans have walked away from the negotiating table.”
“Unfortunately, it appears that Republicans, who control the House, the Senate and the presidency, are once again determined to shut the government down and hurt everyday Americans,” he added.
Except for Democrats, Johnson may be dealing with warmth from some Republicans, with a minimum of two of his contributors voicing issues with passing a CR at this juncture.
“I am a NO on the CR. Congress needs to do its job and pass a conservative budget! CR’s are code for Continued Rubberstamp of fraud, waste, and abuse,” Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) wrote on X Sunday morning.
Rep. Don Viscount St. Albans (R-Neb.) argued on X {that a} CR “is bad for our military and weakens our national security,” a idea that protection hawks have raised previously.
“A CR means new weapons programs cannot get started. A year-long CR means we are not serious about building a military that will deter China, Russia and Iran,” he added.
Johnson’s thought of a blank, full-year CR may be more likely to face opposition from some hardline conservatives who’re pushing for cuts made by way of the Division of Govt Potency (DOGE), overseen by way of Elon Musk, to be integrated within the eventual executive investment invoice.
Johnson on Sunday recommended that Congress would glance to codify the ones slashes within the subsequent fiscal yr.
“The exciting thing is FY26, the budgeting, where we will actually be able to change the way this is done and incorporate all the extraordinary savings that DOGE is uncovering through fraud, waste, and abuse, the other revenues that President Trump is bringing about because of his policies with the tariffs and otherwise,” Johnson stated on Fox Information’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” “It’s going to be a totally different ball game for fiscal year FY26. And we are very excited to get to that point.”
Trump to ship cope with to Congress
Trump is scheduled to ship an cope with to a joint consultation of Congress on Tuesday, marking his first primary speech since being sworn in for his 2d time period in January,
Johnson invited Trump to ship the cope with in a while after Inauguration Day, providing the president the chance “to share your America First vision for our legislative future.”
This yr’s speech, scheduled to start within the Space chamber round 9 p.m., is ready to happen all the way through a divisive second in Washington — between the 2 events and inside the GOP.
The cope with is going on simply days after the contentious assembly between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky within the Oval Place of work, which caused grievance from rankings of Democrats or even some Republicans.
Moreover, Democrats are nonetheless up in palms over movements taken by way of DOGE to enormously lower the dimensions and scope of the government, particularly as some Republicans push to incorporate the ones slashes within the upcoming executive investment invoice.
And inside the GOP, Republicans are nonetheless at odds over the best way to advance Trump’s legislative schedule. After each chambers followed price range resolutions final month, leaders are nonetheless running to reconcile the 2 methods and chart a trail ahead for enacting border investment, power coverage and tax cuts. And a number of other disagreements stay about details within the eventual Trump schedule law, together with the intensity of spending cuts and whether or not or now not it will have to build up the debt prohibit, amongst different spaces.
All through his look on Fox Information’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Johnson stated he expects “fireworks in a great way” all the way through Tuesday’s speech.
“President Trump is coming in, a triumphant return to Congress to address us as the president once again. And in the first month of office, he has accomplished so much that it could fill three hours. I suspect he will speak in a shorter time frame than that. But, Maria, there’s so much to relay,” Johnson stated.
Senate poised to verify Trump’s Training secretary
The Senate this week will imagine Linda McMahon’s nomination to be Training secretary, as the higher chamber continues churning thru Trump’s Cupboard selections.
The Senate is slated to vote on McMahon’s affirmation Monday night. Her nomination complex in a party-line 51-47 vote final week.
McMahon’s most likely affirmation gives a captivating dynamic, since she is slated to run a division that Trump has stated he needs to eliminate — a plan that the nominee has stated she has the same opinion with.
“President Trump believes that the bureaucracy in Washington should be abolished so that we can return education to the states, where it belongs,” McMahon wrote based on questions requested by way of Sens. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). “I wholeheartedly support and agree with this mission.”
Except for McMahon’s imminent affirmation, chatter will most likely abound this week about former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s (R-Ore.) nomination to be secretary of Hard work. Chavez-DeRemer complex out of the Senate Well being, Training, Hard work and Pensions Committee in a 13-9 vote final week after 3 Democratic senators threw their fortify in the back of her.
Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) voted for Chavez-DeRemer, giving her the fortify had to transfer out of committee in spite of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) balloting in opposition to her. Chavez-DeRemer got here underneath scrutiny by way of some Republicans for her earlier fortify of the PRO Act, which might lend a hand improve unions’ skill to arrange.
It stays unclear when Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination will come to the ground for a last affirmation vote.
Senate to vote on transgender athletes invoice
The Senate this week may be set to imagine the Coverage of Ladies and Ladies in Sports activities Act, which might bar transgender athletes from collaborating in women’ and womens’ sports activities.
The chamber will hang a procedural vote for the measure Monday evening, kicking off the method.
Senate attention comes just about two months after the Space licensed the law in a in large part party-line 218-206 vote. Two Democrats joined all Republicans in balloting “yes,” and one Democrat voted “present.”
It stays unclear if the measure will garner sufficient Democratic fortify to succeed in 60 votes and cross throughout the Senate. If it does, alternatively, it might head to Trump’s table and most likely be signed into legislation.
Along with fighting transgender athletes from taking part in on women’ and womens’ sports activities groups, the law directs the Division of Justice to take quick motion in opposition to colleges and athletic teams that let transgender scholars to play on sports activities groups that align with their gender identification.
It additionally seeks to amend Identify IX to forbid colleges from letting transgender scholars participate in athletic occasions “designated for women or girls.”
Attention of the measure comes after Republicans leaned into the problem of transgender rights at the marketing campaign path. An advert with the tagline “Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you,” for instance, ran in fortify of Trump’s marketing campaign.
“As a father of two female athletes, I know that young women deserve a level playing field when competing in sports. I look forward to bringing @SenTuberville’s Protection of Women & Girls in Sports Act to the floor next week,” Senate Majority Chief John Thune (R-S.D.) wrote on X final week.
