BUDGET/CRISIS/HOUSE OF REPS/NATIONAL BUDGET: “House Republicans plan to pass a three-month continuing resolution to fund the government this month and will push any fight over President Donald Trump’s border wall until later this year, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday [9-5-17]…
Congress needs to pass a temporary spending bill to avert a government shutdown on Sept. 30. Lawmakers hope a three-month stopgap will allow for a broader spending deal in December that funds the government with priorities for both parties.
On Wednesday, the House will vote on an emergency disaster relief bill to provide nearly $8 billion to help communities devastated by Hurricane Harvey, McCarthy said.
The Harvey aid will not be tied to raising the federal debt ceiling, McCarthy added, an idea strongly opposed by conservative GOP lawmakers. Still, the Senate could later attach a boost to the debt limit, which must be raised by Sept. 29.
McCarthy also said Republicans still intend to pass a budget this month because ‘it allows us to go to reconciliation to start tax reform.’ Moving a tax bill through budget reconciliation is key for the GOP, because it would prevent Senate Democrats from blocking legislation through the filibuster.”
-Madeline Conway, “McCarthy: Republicans will punt wall fight to December,” Sept. 5, 2017 11:50am