The Republican Study Committee’s (RSC) steering committee is calling for a new short term federal funding bill, according to Fox News. With the threat of a continuing government shutdown, they want to extend the November 21 deadline to “at least” January 2026.
The House in September passed a continuing resolution (CR). The purpose was to extend the spending for 2025’s fiscal year seven weeks, aiming to give lawmakers more time to find a solution for the 2026 fiscal year spending.
Now, the House Freedom Caucus is looking to go even further. It wants to extend the CR until November of next year. They fiscal conservatives believe this is an effective way to keep spending low and avoid funding disputes, at least until after midterm elections.
Appropriators opposed to this argue that Congress needs to actually set a yearly budget instead of relying on past spending levels used under the previous president.
Congressman Andrew Clyde (R-Georgia) is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Budget Committee, and the Freedom Caucus. He spoke with Tony Perkins on Washington Watch, saying that he thinks the Senate is going to have to pass a CR with an adjusted date.
“I would see that optimal date being somewhere in the end of January to end of February timeframe, so that it gives the Appropriations Committee time to negotiate between the House and the Senate,” says Clyde.
He further explains how it has gotten to this point — the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
“The House Appropriations Committee has completed all 12 of their appropriations and sent them to the House floor, but the Senate has not done that. In fact, the Conferee Committee isn't even put together on the Senate side,” Clyde said.
It is rumored that Senate appropriators only want the CR to last until the end of December, possibly the 21st. Critics believe that would be horrible, and Clyde agrees.
“No, that's not going to work. Very bad idea. That’s setting us up for Christmas. It will be pork-filled … absolutely not. That will not have support in the House,” Clyde said.
However, it looks like there could be a possible turnaround regarding the shutdown. After election success in New York, New Jersey and Virginia, Democrats could be closer to opening the government, analysts say.
Some moderate Democrats senators have been willing to negotiate to overcome the filibuster.
“We need seven Democrats to vote with Republicans, and we've got three,” says Clyde. “I think there's enough that actually would do that now that they've had this victory in blue states. It gives them something to crow about.”
