NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has announced there will be a vigil in Statuary Hall of the Capitol tonight at 6:15 pm et to honor Charlie Kirk.
While it is expected to be respectful, Capitol Hill is a tinderbox right now. Democrats and Republicans are still trading barbs at one another. Both sides are accusing the other of contributing to the hyper-toxic rhetoric. There are calls to “lower the temperature.” But remember, Congress is a thermometer — not a thermostat.
We could have verbal jousting in and around the solemn ceremony tonight. Members could again unload on another when they filter back into the Capitol tonight. The complex is rife with tension.
Members are concerned about personal security and how to safeguard themselves and their families — but there’s no concrete plan on what to do to protect lawmakers.
THUNE’S SUITCASE NUKE- AND THE FILIBUSTER’S LATEST BLAST INJURY
This brings us to government funding – and why security of lawmakers is a key part of that fight.
Government funding expires at 11:59:59pm ET on Sept. 30. The House is scheduled to be out of session next week. Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 23. So there is limited bandwidth for Congress before a shutdown.
There is chatter that the House may try to advance a clean interim spending bill this week (a “CR”), which would run through Nov. 21.
The bill would renew all funding from last year at current levels. But it would approve three “new” bills for the entire fiscal year covering agriculture, military construction/VA and the legislative branch.
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: MILITARY WHISTLE-BLOWERS TESTIFY TO CONGRESS ABOUT UNEXPLAINED UFO ENCOUNTERS
The latter is where there’s a problem.
Fox is told that the White House wants an additional $58 million extra for security for the administration and the courts in light of the Kirk murder. They would match that with similar money to secure Congress. But some lawmakers may balk, saying that the matching $58 million is too low – similarly, because there are so many members of Congress and threats are off the charts. Fox is told that Congress will approve whatever security funding is necessary, but lawmakers must first determine what they want.
“Figure out what you want and put it in the bill. It’s not something we are going to disagree on,” said one senior House source.
That brings us to the Democrats’ quest for a “victory” in this spending round, especially since it is believed that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) caved and received nothing in the spring funding round.
The big request from Democrats is a renewal of Obamacare subsidies, which expire at the end of the year. If Congress fails to act, healthcare for tens of millions of Americans will rise sharply.
Some Republicans are pushing for an extension of those subsidies, too. But Congressional Republicans are reluctant to attach the Obamacare subsidy renewal to a seven-week interim spending bill.
In short, Republicans are waiting for Democrats to say what they want — and Democrats can’t figure that out. But rank-and-file Republicans are also waiting for their leadership to make a play call.
One play call could be getting the House to vote on that clean CR, coupled with the three other spending bills, later this week.
However, the House has the “three-day rule.” That requires legislation be posted for three days before the House votes. If the House is going to vote before its scheduled recess, then that would be Thursday. And that also means the House must vote to post the bill on Monday.
But exactly what the House may post is unclear.
Moreover, it’s unclear if the House could even approve a stopgap spending package.
It’s about the math.
The House currently has 432 members: 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats. That means Republicans can only lose two on their side and pass the bill. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) – and perhaps others – are likely to oppose a Band-Aid spending bill. And Democrats may not vote yes because of all the reasons above. Plus, they are in the minority. They will expect the majority to “figure it out.”
Such a scenario could only amplify tensions on Capitol Hill – which are already sky-high because of Kirk.
Expect a lot more verbal jeering and disagreements from Congress before this is resolved.
Read the full article here
