GOP/HOUSE OF REPS: “Senators from both parties poured cold water Tuesday [12-12-17] on a House Republican plan that would fund the military through September while keeping the rest of the government running only into January.
Congress last week passed a two-week spending bill that will keep the government funded through Dec. 22. But lawmakers have yet to figure out what their next step will be to keep it running after next Friday.
House Republicans are planning to pass legislation next week that would fully fund the military through the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, while extending current funding for the rest of the government just into January.
Leaders negotiating a longer-term funding bill haven’t agreed on how much to spend on non-defense items. The negotiations also are overshadowed by GOP leaders’ push to quickly pass a tax overhaul bill.
But both Senate Republicans and Democrats said Tuesday the House strategy wouldn’t work in their chamber. Spending bills need 60 votes to clear procedural hurdles in the Senate, where Republicans hold 52 seats.”
-Krisitina Peterson, “Republican House Spending Plan Gets Cool Reception in Senate,” The Wall Street Journal online, Dec. 12, 2017 05:36pm