Appropriations Process Remains Messy in Congress

Getting spending bills passed through Congress remains a Herculean task.

Punchbowl News examined the appropriations process and found both chambers of Congress continue to rely on continuing resolutions to fund the government.

The House has passed five of the 12 fiscal year 2025 spending bills, as Republicans push for spending cuts and culture-war policy riders rather than work with the Democrat-controlled Senate and the White House, Punchbowl said.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved 11 of the 12 funding bills before the August recess, but none of the bills has been given a floor vote, according to Punchbowl. The Senate agreed to spend $34 billion more than last year's spending deal, which puts it at odds with the House.

A government shutdown would occur at the end of September if nothing is approved, but Punchbowl said both chambers are expected to pass a stopgap spending bill through mid-December. A vote on the debt limit must happen by Jan. 2.

Republican senators said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., doesn't prioritize appropriation bills for floor time, while Democrats said House Republicans simply jam through partisan spending bills with no chance of passing the upper chamber, according to Punchbowl.

"The charade the House does on appropriations is meaningless. They're involved in a contest to see how far right they can move the bills," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a senior appropriator, told Punchbowl. "When our bills come out of committee, they are fully baked, bipartisan deals."

Senators often don't get a chance to look at the budget before they vote on the bills, which has drawn condemnation from both parties.

While a continuing resolution would run until December, what happens next depends on the 2024 elections, Punchbowl reported.

House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., told Punchbowl it would be better to spare the next president and incoming Congress from a shutdown threat early in 2025.

"The winner of the next election probably makes a decision [and] tells their side, 'I want a deal, I don't want to have to deal with a government shutdown coming in,'" Cole said to Punchbowl. "But if they want to have it kicked into next year so they can deal with it, I think they can make that call."

• White House Vows Veto of House Appropriations Bills
• Senate Poised to Pass Spending Package