GOP plunges back into shutdown scramble
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Republicans are jockeying over how to deal with a government shutdown deadline that's coming fast — and everything else President Trump wants them to get done.
Why it matters: Congress has a huge to-do list. And leaders are largely still arguing about logistics.
- Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) argued against a long-term stopgap spending measure during the Senate GOP weekly lunch on Tuesday — pointing out the impact on defense, in particular, multiple sources told Axios.
- "Our leadership is pretty hostile to that idea," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told Axios about the long-term continuing resolution idea. "But I don't know what they're going to do otherwise."
- Meanwhile, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Oh.) told Punchbowl News he doesn't think it's a good idea to force a big appropriations package right before Republicans have to rally to pass top Trump's priorities through reconciliation. He's pushing for a short-term stopgap.
Zoom in: The top four congressional appropriators have been meeting to try to find agreement on topline spending numbers for appropriation packages to keep the government funded and running past March 14.
- When asked on Monday when there might be a decision there, Collins told Axios, "We're talking, but we're not that close."
Zoom out: Congress wants to address border, energy, defense and tax cuts through a major budget reconciliation bill (or two), which would allow the Senate to avoid the 60-vote filibuster.
- Lawmakers also have to fund the government for the rest of the year, start the appropriations process for next year and raise the debt ceiling. They're not far on any of those priorities.
- Don't forget all the Cabinet nominations the Senate still has left to churn through.
