House GOP rolls out spending stopgap to avert government shutdown – By Sarah Ferris & John Bresnahan (politico.com) / Jan 16 2018
House GOP leaders on Tuesday unveiled a spending plan to fund the government through President’s Day to once again buy time for a broader spending deal.
The plan was pitched in a closed-door meeting with just three days until government funding runs out.
If approved, it would be Congress’ fourth spending patch in four months.
Lawmakers would then have until Feb. 16 to draft a trillion-dollar omnibus bill that lasts through September.
The stopgap spending bill, which was expected to be formally released later Tuesday night, would also fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program for six years.
It would delay some Obamacare taxes to help win over some Republicans who are otherwise reluctant to back another stopgap bill.
The House plan will include a two-year delay of the medical device tax and the so-called Cadillac tax on high-cost health insurance plans.
Speaker Paul Ryan and his team are hoping to once again clear the bill without courting Democratic votes. But a growing sense of frustration among both defense hawks and fiscal conservatives could mean the GOP vote count falls short.
It’s still unclear if the plan could pass in the Senate, where at least eight Democrats would be needed to back the measure. Most Senate Democrats have demanded to see progress on an immigration deal to protect so-called Dreamers before voting for another funding bill.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/16/government-shutdown-stopgap-spending-343190
PB/TK – oh look, yet another can kicking spending moment by Congress. it’s becoming old hat for these jagoffs
