House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said today he is “very optimistic” that Congress will come to an agreement this week that avoids a partial Federal government shutdown when funding for several government agencies runs out on March 1.
Under a short-term continuing resolution approved by Congress in January, Federal agencies including the Departments of Transportation, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans Affairs are funded at fiscal year 2023 levels through March 1. The remaining agencies – among them the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Defense, and Homeland Security – are now funded through March 8.
Rep. Johnson delivered his assessment on the likelihood of a shutdown following a meeting at the White House with President Biden, Vice President Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
“We have been working in good faith around the clock every single day, for months and weeks and over the last several days, quite literally around the clock, to get that job done,” Rep. Johnson said regarding the likelihood of a Federal government shutdown.
“We’re very optimistic,” he said, adding, “I hope that the other leaders came out here and told you the same. We believe that we can get to agreement on these issues and prevent a government shutdown. And that’s our first responsibility.”
In remarks before the meeting, President Biden said that a “government shutdown would damage the economy significantly, I think we call all agree to that.”
“We need bipartisan solutions,” he said.
Also prior to the White House meeting, Sen. Schumer, D-N.Y., said he expected the gathering to be “an important, timely, and fruitful discussion about how congressional leaders, in conjunction with the White House, can meet the immense responsibilities facing Congress at this moment.”
“This Friday, unless both sides act quickly, the Federal government will enter a partial shutdown, with yet another funding deadline looming a week after that,” he said. “Agriculture, transportation, veterans’ programs, and more will be thrown into chaos this Friday if we fail to extend funding.”
“As I’ve said throughout the 118th Congress, there is no justification – none – for provoking a government shutdown,” he said. “Democrats strongly oppose shutdowns, and I know many of my Republican Senate colleagues, including the Republican Leader, want to avoid one as well. And we Democrats want to work with them to ensure that a shutdown does not happen.”
“We realize the Speaker of the House is in a difficult position,” Schumer said. “If both sides work together, if we reject poison pills that can never become law, and if we tune out the extreme, radical voices of the hard-right, then the task before us becomes much, much easier.”
“I hope that in the coming days, serious-minded House Republicans can work with Democrats to find a path out of the shutdown threat,” the senator said. “There is every reason in the world for both sides to work together this week and in the weeks to come, so I look forward to making that case to congressional leaders at the White House.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said following today’s meeting that “all four congressional leaders are agreed with the president and the vice president that a shutdown is unacceptable. But as you all know, the clock is ticking.”
