Lawmakers signal movement toward government funding deal

Top Republicans are signaling progress in government funding talks as leaders look to clinch a deal ahead of a looming Friday deadline.

House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) told reporters Monday that the “differences are narrowing” between all sides as they try to hash out the last significant funding deal in the divided Congress.

“It’s both between the House and the Senate and Republicans and Democrats. So, they're both institutional differences, and there are partisan differences,” Cole said. But he added “there are a lot fewer of them than there were 24 hours ago.”

Lawmakers were expected to roll out legislative text over the weekend. But those hopes were dashed as economic assistance for farmers emerged as a key sticking point in talks. Both sides traded blame over the weekend as negotiations over help for farmers appeared to flounder.

While Cole said Monday that discussions are “moving in the right direction,” he acknowledged the aid as a “substantial” factor in talks.

In one sign of how critical the farm assistance is for some lawmakers, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) a senior appropriator, vowed to oppose the larger forthcoming stopgap funding without aid for farmers and ranchers.

“Through no fault of their own, Kansas farm families are struggling to keep their heads above water, and it is critical they receive assistance as soon as possible to continue their operations,” he said in a statement on the social platform X.

Lawmakers on both sides have detailed offers for more than $10 billion in proposed assistance, but there are partisan divides over the scope of the aid and how it's structured. Some Republicans have also raised concerns about the potential costs.

“Ad hoc emergency spending is always, and invariably — you're going to have more wasted tax dollars because of just the nature of it,” House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) said Monday. “But we have to help both our hurricane-ravaged communities, and we have to do something to help those in farm communities who've suffered with it.”

The continuing resolution (CR) is also expected to include funding for disaster aid for recent hurricanes that devastated North Carolina and Florida, and members have negotiated a host of other add-ons, including a potential last-minute deal on health care.

With the CR being the last major piece of legislation Congress is expected to consider before the end of the session and the new Congress, lawmakers have been angling to attach all kinds of items to the must-pass bill.

Pressed about the status of health care as leaders look to tie up loose ends in the CR, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Monday there are “big discussions on all of the remaining items.”

“But we're trying to get it wrapped up,” he said.

The bill is among the last tests for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) ahead of the Jan. 3 Speakership vote. While Johnson has been successful in courting support from conservatives, hard-liners have said they are keeping an eye on how he handles end-of-year funding issues before they commit to backing him.

It is likely Johnson will need Democratic support to usher the CR through the House. Republicans hold a razor-thin majority, and hard-line conservatives are already signaling disapproval of some of the package’s expected contents.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) in a post on X signaled disapproval of the additional measures, such as pharmacy benefit manager reform, being included.

“Call me crazy, but we should reduce the deficit and not pass stupid policies,” Roy said.

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