Congressional Republicans made a breakthrough late Thursday night by agreeing to a plan to keep the government funded through the end of 2020, but the deal is far from a done deal and is likely to be rejected by the Senate.
House Republicans struck a deal among themselves to provide a two-week extension of funding, through December 18, that they will vote on today, December 11. This would then keep the government funded until the end of the year.
The deal, which was announced late Thursday night, was reached after a lengthy negotiation between Republican leaders in both chambers. The main focus of the talks was providing enough disaster aid to win over the House Freedom Caucus, a group of ultra-conservative members of Congress.
It remains unclear whether the Senate will accept the deal or go with a more lengthy extension. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has previously expressed concern about the short-term nature of the deal, and the limited nature of the disaster relief funding.
A longer extension could also give Congress more time to negotiate a longer spending plan, which could address issues such as border wall funding that have been a sticking point in the past. Nevertheless, a short-term deal to fund the government through the end of the year would be seen as a victory for Congressional Republicans, who have been desperately trying to prevent a government shutdown.
If it makes it through the Senate, the plan would provide a much-needed respite for the government as it enters into the holiday season. But it could also be viewed as a missed opportunity for Congress to come to a more permanent resolution and provide a stable footing for the next year.
With only days left before a potential shut down, Republicans have made a last-minute attempt to push through a deal and gain the advantage going into 2021. It remains to be seen if the Senate will accept the deal and seal the victory, or reject the deal and risk another government shutdown.
