Some Senate Republicans want an extension into February only, when that party will have control of the House in the new Congress. Image: Orhan Cam/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffUpdated: Congress has passed a bill to extend agency funding for an additional week, until December 23, giving it more time to try to resolve agency funding issues that have been pending for many months.
Budget leaders have said they have a general agreement in place for agency funding for the remainder of the fiscal year, through September 30, but could not resolve all the details in advance of the December 16 expiration of a temporary funding bill in place since October 1.
The discussions largely focus on differences between the political parties on the relative spending levels for defense vs. domestic purposes, as well as on issues such as continued pandemic relief spending.
Details of a longer-term measure have not emerged, but in addition to regular agency funding, such a measure could become the vehicle for passing the last changes in law of this Congress, potentially including one to bar creation of a future excepted service “Schedule F” for policy-related jobs now in the competitive service. The bill also would be the last opportunity for Congress to take a position on the January federal pay raise other than allowing President Biden’s recommendation for a 4.6 percent average increase to take effect by default.
Republican leaders have said that if a wrapup funding bill hasn’t passed through Congress by December 22, they would agree only to an extension into February or March, by which time their party will be in control of the House in the new Congress. Democrats have been pushing to finish a full-year bill before the end of this year for that same reason.
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