On January 7, House and Senate leaders announced framework on FY 2024 top line government funding levels to avoid a partial government shutdown. The deal includes $886 billion for defense and $772.7 billion for non-defense discretionary spending, roughly equivalent to the FY 2023 funding level and consistent with the 2023 budget agree reached between Congress and President Biden. Reaching agreement on the topline spending levels was expected to clear the way for Congress to pass government funding for FY24.
However, this week, Freedom Caucus House Republicans are urging Speaker Johnson to abandon the funding agreement and renegotiate spending levels. As a show of force, Freedom Caucus members joined Democrats in voting down a House rule to proceed to 3 pieces of legislation – unrelated to spending – but still sending a clear message they were unhappy with Speaker Johnson. Congress has until January 19th to pass funding on about twenty percent of federal programs and a second funding deadline of February 2nd to fund the remainder of the government.
The American Thoracic Society has joined with other public health and medical organizations to urge Congress to do its job and pass legislation to fund important public health, research and environmental program. ATS was one of over 1000 organizations on a letter to Congress urging them to reject further cuts to non-defense discretionary programs.