Thread by @ChadPergram

A) Government funding ends on December 11 at 11:59:59 pm et. And it’s more than likely it will take until late next week to get a universal deal to sidestep a government shutdown and fund the government through September 30, 2021.

B) House and Senate appropriators agreed early last week to a “topline” number of $1.4 trillion in discretionary spending for FY ’21. That is all the money Congress controls, devoted to the 12 annual spending bills which run the government.

C) But, Fox is told there are “hundreds” of policy areas which remain unresolved. That will likely take until next week to figure everything out. And, that’s why it’s more than likely Congress will be right up against the funding deadline of December 11.

D) Naturally, this is cast against the backdrop of the pandemic, and, for health reasons, lawmakers not wanting to linger in Washington any longer than they have to.

E) There was some mild hope that the sides may be able to work out an agreement this week, toil over the weekend and pass it early next week – or even earlier. But that scenario is doubtful.

F) Partly, because everything ALWAYS takes until the last minute on Capitol Hill. Especially at Christmas. EVEN during a pandemic.

Here are some of the nettlesome areas:

G) There is a push by some House Republicans and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to enforce mandatory budget caps for $12.5 billion in health care benefits for the VA. Congress can waive the caps if the spending is deemed an “emergency.”

H) But the problem is that the sides would have to trim a lot of other measures if the VA money IS subject to the caps. What’s interesting is that Senate Republicans and House Democrats are on the same page allowing the VA health money to bust the budget caps.

I) House Republicans have been more resistant to bypassing the caps. However, that could be a negotiating ploy to try to force House Democrats to trim spending in other areas.

Other potential problems: the entire section of spending for the Department of Homeland Security.

J) This individual appropriations area has become a real hornet’s nest over the past few years. Money for the border wall resides in this area. That sparked the 2018-2019 government shutdown. Also, there are issues over detention practices and migration.

K) Moreover, a new area of contention this year is police reform. Most police policy emanates at the local level. There was no Congressional action over the summer after the George Floyd killing and weeks of demonstrations.

L) However, there is jurisdiction over some federal law enforcement and certainly the U.S. Capitol Police. Fox is told some lawmakers are pushing for federal law enforcement to comply with reform pushed at the local level.

M) That includes a demand for data determining whether USCP and other federal police engage in “racial profiling,” et al.

N) All of this is being negotiated behind the scenes right now with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Fox is told the hope was to get bill text early next week.