Congressional Leaders Agree to Avoid Imminent Shutdown and Temporarily Extend Federal Funding Again
February 28, 2024
With a March 1 deadline for funding the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration and several other federal departments and agencies quickly approaching, congressional leaders this afternoon announced a pathway for avoiding an imminent partial government shutdown. The bipartisan agreement calls for extending federal funding on six annual appropriations bills — including the DOT/FAA spending measure — a week to March 8. Funding for the remaining six appropriations measures — including the DHS/TSA/CBP spending bill — will be extended to March 22.
While nothing is yet completely finalized, leaders appear to be close to final agreements on the first six bills. The extra week is expected to give negotiators time to wrap up those six measures so they can then be passed by the House and Senate next week. The second tranche of bills remains more difficult and only time will tell if the extra weeks to negotiate those measures will prove sufficient. As we have reported numerous times over the past months, these spending bills will determine funding levels for a number of key airport priorities for the remainder of fiscal year 2024, including regular and supplemental AIP, the Contract Tower Program, exit lane staffing, LEO reimbursement, TSA staffing, and more.
The specifics of today's agreement were outlined in a statement from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), and Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) along with Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT):
"We are in agreement that Congress must work in a bipartisan manner to fund our government.
"Negotiators have come to an agreement on six bills: Agriculture-FDA, Commerce-Justice and Science, Energy and Water Development, Interior, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD. After preparing final text, this package of six full year Appropriations bills will be voted on and enacted prior to March 8. These bills will adhere to the Fiscal Responsibility Act discretionary spending limits and January's topline spending agreement.
"The remaining six Appropriations bills - Defense, Financial Services and General Government, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS, Legislative Branch, and State and Foreign Operations - will be finalized, voted on, and enacted prior to March 22.
"To give the House and Senate Appropriations Committee adequate time to execute on this deal in principle, including drafting, preparing report language, scoring and other technical matters, and to allow members 72 hours to review, a short-term continuing resolution to fund agencies through March 8 and the 22 will be necessary, and voted on by the House and Senate this week."
