News from the Hill: November 30, 2023
Congress gave Americans a much-needed break from partisan gridlock and brinksmanship ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday by passing a clean, two-tiered Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government open and operating before the previous CR expired on November 17th. Four of the twelve annual appropriations bills; Transportation/Housing, Military Construction/Veterans, Agriculture/FDA, and Energy are funded until January 19th while the other eight bills (including Labor-HHS-Education) are funded until February 2nd.
The bipartisan and drama-free funding extension marks a win for new House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) despite similarities to the approach taken by ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). Negotiations are underway to craft a final Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 spending package and avoid the need for yet another CR (or CRs). The House has also started to warm to the reality that the Senate bills, with their modest increases for most programs and consistency with the parameters outlined by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, are more likely to reflect the framework of a final package.
However, there has been some grumbling from hardline conservatives in the House about the ongoing move to bipartisanship in the appropriations process and the lack of commitment to aggressive tactics for spending reductions. Historically, final appropriations bills have been supported by both parties and jettisoned polarizing policy riders and divisive items. It remains unclear how the shifting dynamics in the House and an unruly majority caucus might impact a final spending bill, bills, or CR.
In another show of bipartisanship, the Senate confirmed Dr. Monica Bertagnolli as the next NIH Director. HELP Committee Chair, Bernie Sanders (I-VT), continued to symbolically oppose the nomination to make a point about further action on drug pricing, but did not obstruct the overall process and his opposition was facilitated by sufficient Republican support for the confirmation. Dr. Bertagnolli takes the helm of NIH and an unprecedented time, both in terms of opportunities to advance the full spectrum of medical research and a time when public trust in science is unusually low and unfortunately polarized.
By: Dane Christiansen, Washington Representative