Weekend government shut-down looms as Congress debates stopgap spending measure**
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives adjourned for the year and are set to return on January 3rd, 2017. Senators remain in the Capitol temporarily to debate continued funding for the federal government ahead of a looming deadline of midnight tonight.
With funding set to expire today, lawmakers debate the text of a Continuing Resolution (CR), or stopgap measure, which would continue funding at close to current levels through April 28th, 2017. The move is intended to give the incoming Trump Administration opportunity to weigh in on longer term budget discussions, while also allowing Congress time in the spring to focus on the nominations process for Trump’s political appointees.
Under pressure to agree on the terms of the CR before funding ends at midnight tonight, a number of Senators are holding out for better health insurance and pension relief for retired coal miners and their widows. While debate on the appropriations measure is set to close late tonight or early tomorrow morning, Senators could procedurally delay the vote until Sunday; alternately, they could return an amended CR to the House for approval. Either option could cause the government to partially shut down over the weekend.
Senate Democrats have downplayed the effect of a weekend government shut-down. “Historically, there’s been a bit of a grace period when this happens. I hope we don’t reach that point. I hope we can find a way to avoid it,” Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said. The White House has not yet weighed in on the situation.
NAHMA will continue to monitor the budget situation and analyze its effects on affordable housing programs.
**Senate floor debate underway at time of publication**
Dr. Carson accepts nomination for HUD Secretary, gives clues to his leadership
President-elect Trump put an end to rumors on Monday by nominating Dr. Ben Carson as his pick for HUD Secretary. The retired neurosurgeon and former Republican Presidential Candidate accepted the offer, although the nomination will need to be confirmed by the Senate in the new year.
Speaking at Yale University this week, Dr. Carson denied rumors that he grew up in “public housing,” despite having grown up poor before earning a scholarship and becoming a distinguished physician. He also denied concerns that he would “remove all of the safety nets and government programs” with regard to housing. “What I do want to do is create ladders of opportunity, so that people don’t have to be dependent,” Carson said.