In Washington, D.C., top leaders from both the Republican and Democratic parties have come together to create a temporary plan. This plan will keep the government funded until March 14, helping to prevent a partial government shutdown that would start this Saturday.
If approved, this plan will maintain the current budget of about $6.2 trillion, funding important services like the military, air traffic control, and drug safety programs. Congress members will now look over the details, but some strong Republicans in the House are already unhappy, which means some Democratic votes will probably be needed to make this plan law.
The House, which is led by a very slim Republican majority of 219-211, hasn’t set a voting date yet. However, if they pass the plan, it will move to the Democratic-majority Senate by Friday night so President Joe Biden can sign it into law.
The new plan also includes $100.4 billion to help states like North Carolina and Florida recover from serious disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. Here’s how the money will be spent:
– $29 billion for disaster relief through FEMA
– $21 billion to help farmers affected by weather problems
– $10 billion in economic aid for farmers
– $12 billion in grants for state and local communities
– $8 billion for repairing roads and highways
Additionally, the Pentagon will receive nearly $5.7 billion to help build new submarines, and about $740 million will go to repairing NASA facilities damaged by hurricanes.
The plan also allows for year-round sales of a special gasoline with a higher ethanol blend and includes $13 million for protecting Supreme Court justices at their homes.
If lawmakers do not act quickly, parts of the government could close on Saturday. Speaker Mike Johnson must rely on help from Democrats to pass this important measure.
With growing government debt now over $36 trillion, Congress also has to address this issue early next year. They need to act before a previous agreement on the nation’s debt ceiling runs out, which could cause serious impacts on the economy.
Lastly, this plan includes a one-year extension of federal farm programs so costs for dairy products don’t rise sharply after December 31.
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