In a recent article, we discussed the latest developments in budget negotiations in the US Congress. Indeed, the Republican Party has presented a temporary plan aimed at avoiding an imminent budgetary paralysis. This unconventional plan consists of two parts and aims to preserve the advances of conservatives in the House of Representatives.
According to information reported by the American media, part of the expenditure necessary for the operation of federal services will be adopted via a short-term bill, until January 19. The rest of the expenses will be postponed until February 2. This approach would buy Congress time to study and pass individual spending bills, without committing funding to specific areas such as Israel, Ukraine and border security.
However, some Republicans are already expressing discontent, saying the plan does not provide the funding cuts they want to see. It is therefore uncertain whether the party, which only has a slim majority in the House of Representatives, will manage to adopt this plan, especially since the Senate is currently controlled by the Democrats.
The White House has already criticized the proposal, calling it “a recipe for more Republican chaos and more shutdowns.” According to presidential spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, this proposal was strongly criticized by members of both parties and represents a waste of precious time.
It is therefore crucial for Congress to reach an agreement before the expiration of the federal state budget, which is scheduled for Friday evening at midnight. In the event of a budgetary paralysis, the American economy would be seriously affected, a significant number of civil servants would be deprived of salaries and air traffic could be disrupted.
This new budget crisis comes only a few months after previous negotiations which plunged Congress into chaos. The dismissal of the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, following a last-minute agreement with the Democrats, created an unprecedented situation. It took several weeks for elected officials to agree on a new “speaker”, in this case Mike Johnson, who must now face pressure from Trumpists and Democrats.
In conclusion, it is essential that Congress quickly find a budget agreement in order to avoid a budgetary paralysis which would have significant economic consequences for the country. However, differences within the Republican Party and between political parties make the task complex. It is crucial that representatives put aside their ideological differences to find a favorable outcome and guarantee the proper functioning of the federal state.