GOP Solon Says Stop-Gap Bill Needed To Avert Shutdown

A GOP Senator has emphasized the necessity of a stop-gap bill to prevent a government shutdown, according to a report by David Morgan and Richard Cowan for Reuters.

Republicans in the U.S. Congress must soon reach an agreement on a short-term funding measure if they are to avert a government shutdown and fulfill their objective of passing 12 distinct appropriations bills.

Republicans in the U.S. Congress must soon reach an agreement on a short-term funding measure if they are to avert a government shutdown and fulfill their objective of passing 12 distinct appropriations bills, as stated by the No. 2 Senate Republican.

This poses a significant challenge, especially with some staunch House Republicans pledging to withhold votes for a stopgap, referred to as a "continuing resolution." Without this resolution, a government shutdown could occur in October.

Senator John Thune remarked on the challenges of governing in a divided government, saying, "This is a divided government. It's certainly challenging to get anything done, let alone funding the government, which in many cases is not all that popular, especially right now, with the American people."

Senator Thune provided this insight during an interview with Reuters at his office in the U.S. Capitol.

The Democratic-led Senate and Republican-controlled House of Representatives have until the end of this month to devise a spending measure capable of sustaining federal agencies throughout fiscal year 2024, as the current funding is set to expire.

Senator Thune stressed the urgency of surpassing the September 30 deadline and acquiring additional time, stating, "We've got to get past the Sept. 30 deadline and buy a little bit of time."

He shared this sentiment with Reuters as GOP internal conflicts hindered progress on an $886 billion defense appropriations package in the House.

In the House, a faction of hardline conservatives is advocating for a reduction of 2024 spending to the 2022 level of $1.47 trillion, a figure $120 billion lower than the spending level agreed upon by Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Democratic President Joe Biden in May. The Senate is currently pursuing this bipartisan agreement.

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