The gist: activity grinds to a near halt Congressional leaders are again flirting with shutdown politics. With January?s shutdown resulting in a continuing resolution to fund the government through midnight on Thursday, the House has until then to pass the budget bill that the Senate agreed to on Wednesday. President Trump tweeted his support for the bill.
The bill would increase spending on domestic programs by $300 billion over the next two years, with the military being the biggest beneficiary ($160 billion). It would also extend funding for the Children?s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by 10 years, add $80 billion to disaster relief, and contribute $20 billion toward infrastructure projects.
But getting the bill through the House will be a challenge. ?Deficit hawks? on the right have already voiced opposition to the bill, meaning Republicans likely can?t pass the bill on their own. Democrats are prepared to vote against the bill if it doesn?t include protection for immigrants known as ?Dreamers,? which Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made clear in a record-setting speech on the floor Wednesday. If the two parties can?t come to an agreement, it has large implications for housing, as activity at the Department of Housing and Urban Development would largely be limited to functions where failure to perform would ?result in an imminent threat to the safety of human life or the protection of property.? Funding that?s already been appropriated would be available for disbur...