Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday praised House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for floating a stopgap measure to keep the government funded past September.
Why it matters: Such a measure will likely be essential to avert a government shutdown on Sept. 30 as Congress struggles to pass appropriations bills on time.
Driving the news: McCarthy said during a House GOP conference call on Monday evening that a continuing resolution will likely be needed to give breathing room to House and Senate appropriators.
- But, he said, the measure would only go until early December at the latest and would not push the process up against the Christmas vacation.
What he's saying: Schumer, during a press call on Tuesday, said he spoke with McCarthy about a possible continuing resolution in July.
- "I thought it was a good thing that he recognized we need a CR in September," Schumer said. "I'm supportive of that."
- "A CR until early December provides time for consideration" of appropriations bills, he added.
Yes, but: Schumer also swiped at House Republicans for advancing party-line appropriations bills that pare back funding to 2022 levels and include hardline conservative policy riders.
- The Senate by contrast, he noted, has "worked in a bipartisan way to report all 12 bills out. Every one of them had near-unanimity."
- "The only way we're going to avoid a government shutdown is by bipartisan support in both houses," Schumer added.