There is an “informal agreement” between Treasury Secretary Steven Munuchin and Speaker Nancy Pelosi in late September to keep a government-wide funding bill free of controversy.
A source familiar with the negotiations said the White House envoy and the Democratic leader did not agree on the bill or the legislative lesson, but wanted to avoid keeping the government shut down amid both epidemics and economic devastation.
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“They agreed it should be clean because they both want to keep the government open,” the source told Fox News.
The government’s funding runs out just a month before the September 30 presidential election, which means that if Congress and the White House can’t agree on the law, the other is around a closed corner.
President Trump insisted in late 2018 that he wanted more funding to build a wall with Mexico, leading to a historic 35-day government shutdown.
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A senior Trump administration official also said both parties were working toward a “clean” resolution that would keep spending levels the same, but they did not agree on the details.
California House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Saturday, August 22, 2020. (AP Photo / Susan Walsh)
“No agreement has been reached yet, but there have been discussions between the parties that the clean [continuing resolution] The official told Fox News that raising the current funding level would be in the best interest of the country.
Even if both parties want to avoid the drama, there are many obstacles for Democrats and Republicans as they return to Washington after the August break, especially as legislators are also eyeing another coronavirus relief bill.
There has been talk of potentially shutting down some coronavirus aid for a spending bill as a way to provide some relief to struggling Americans. But any potential additions could muddy the law’s path, as legislators disagree on priorities for COVID-19 relief.
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It is also not clear how long the interim spending bill will last.
Democrats have pushed for funding the government early next year, and what they hope is the Biden administration. Republicans, uncertain about the election results, prefer a shorter bill, which will run in mid-December.
Mike Emanuel, Chad Pergram and John Roberts of Fox News contributed to this report.
