In a recent development regarding government funding, Senator Susan Collins, the top Republican appropriator in the Senate, has voiced her opposition to extending current government funding levels through the end of September. She emphasized the importance of completing all necessary work for fiscal year 2025 by December 20th, when the current continuing resolution expires.
The current government funding is set to lapse in mid-December, presenting congressional leaders and President-elect Donald Trump with a decision on whether to finalize this year's business and allow President Joe Biden to have a say, or to postpone the package until next year when Trump assumes office. However, delaying the decision would potentially lead to a challenging spending battle for Trump in his first year as president.
Senator Collins believes that concluding the funding discussions by December 20th would be more beneficial for the incoming administration, as it would provide them with a clean slate to focus on the budget for Fiscal Year 2026. Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned that he would be in talks with Trump to determine the course of action for the expiring funding package, with some members of his leadership team advocating for a temporary measure that extends current funding until mid-September. However, Senator Collins stands against this proposal.
