September brings another funding cliff for USDA and the rest of the federal government, as both parties prepare for a fight over presidential funding ‘claw-backs.’ The House and Senate USDA spending bills are nearly four billion dollars apart, and the House has yet to pass its version before a compromise can move forward in both chambers.
A September budget showdown looms. The question remains whether Senate Majority Leader John Thune will pursue another stop-gap bill to avoid a government shutdown. Thune said, “I think a lot of that depends on how cooperative the Democrats are in trying to get the appropriations process moving forward. But what I can tell you is, we are going to look for ways to keep the government funded, open, and operating.”
Top Democrat Chuck Schumer initially threatened a government shutdown after Republicans advanced $9 billion in Trump spending ‘claw-backs,’ but then allowed several bills, including USDA funding, to move forward. Schumer commented, “When one side tries to do it all, it creates problems. We are pushing hard to get the appropriations process continuing to move forward, and that’s why we’re cooperating on the bills that they’re putting on the floor.”
However, Schumer and House Democrat Jeffries are now insisting that Republicans end ‘claw-backs’ and spending freezes to secure their cooperation in keeping the government funded. Senator Chuck Grassley pushed back, saying, “This is a cover-your-rear-end sort of approach. This is their way of saying if the government shuts down, it’s the Republicans’ fault. We’re not going to fall for that.”
