WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday.
Schumer also said in an interview with reporters that he intends to append a licensing reform bill that would help the U.S. energy industry to the stopgap funding bill.
“We hope that the CR (Continuing Solution with Interim Funding) will be implemented around mid-December and then we may have a comprehensive” bill that will be in place at the end of this fiscal year Fund the government for the remainder of the time, Schumer said.
However, some Republicans may want to delay the completion of fiscal year 2023 spending until next year, hoping their party will at least have midterm elections on Nov. 8. That would give Republicans more of a say in budget priorities.
Currently Democrats control the Senate, House of Representatives and the White House.
Without a stopgap funding bill, some federal agencies will have to shut down activities deemed non-essential until Congress resolves differences between Democrats and Republicans.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday warned Democrats against loading a temporary spending bill to increase current spending. Approved grants expire in September 30.
“The cleaner the CR, the better,” McConnell told reporters.
Licensing reforms will update federal procedures for energy-related projects, such as pipelines and export facilities. Passing such a bill in September is part of a deal with Democratic Senator Joe Manchin during negotiations this summer on climate change and a broad bill to lower the prices of some prescription drugs that have been enacted.
