President Biden Signs Stopgap Funding Bill, Avoiding Gov't Shutdown

A government shutdown was narrowly avoided once again after President Joe Biden signed a stopgap spending bill Thursday evening. 

Funding was due to expire at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, raising concerns about widespread disruptions ahead of the hectic holiday season. 

The short-term bill, or continuing resolution (CR), passed the Senate and House this week and splits the extension into two dates: January 19 and February 2. On Wednesday, the Senate voted 87-11 to approve the stopgap bill.

A statement released by the White House yesterday reads...

Agricultural Markets Brace for Potential Gov't Shutdown Ahead of Holiday Season

Agricultural market participants are bracing for a potential government shutdown, which is just days away should Congress fail to extend funding past November 17. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson proposed a two-step spending bill, which has received tentative support from Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer. If passed, it would extend government funding for four appropriation bills to January 2024 and funding for the remaining eight bills into February. The bill must clear the House before moving to the Senate...

New US House Speaker Tries to Muster his Republicans to Avert Government Shutdown

Fledgling U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson faces his first big legislative battle this week as his tries to marshal his fractious Republican majority into supporting an unconventional plan to avert a partial government shutdown beginning on Saturday.

Some House Republican hardliners were already pushing back at Johnson's proposal for a two-step stopgap bill that would not otherwise cut spending, a "clean" bill of the kind that led to the historic ouster of Johnson's predecessor, Kevin McCarthy...

US House Void of Speaker as Continuing Resolution Approaches Expiration

The US House remains without a speaker as the continuing resolution enacted by Congress on September 30 approaches its expiration on November 17.

The House voted to remove Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House on October 3 after the government narrowly avoided a partial shutdown. For two weeks, legislative business in the House has come to a grinding halt as Republicans remain divided on electing a candidate. 

Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan remained short of the 217 votes needed to be elected speaker on Tuesday. The House is expected to...

Congress Avoids Partial Government Shutdown Hours Before Deadline

Just hours before the October 1, 12:01 a.m. deadline, Congress approved a stopgap spending bill to avoid a partial government shutdown. President Biden signed the deal into law Saturday evening, extending government funding until November 17.

The package was approved by the House 335-91 while the Senate voted 88-9. It increases disaster relief money by $16 billion and extends authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration through the end of this year.

The legislation does not include additional aid to war-torn Ukraine. President Biden has called on the Speaker to...

USDA Works to Update Contingency Plans Ahead of Possible Partial Government Shutdown

Time is rapidly winding down for Congress to avert a partial government shutdown, which will begin on Sunday if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement on spending legislation or approve a stopgap bill known as a continuing resolution (CR), to extend funding through November 17. 

As the Democratic-led Senate and House Republicans continue to work at odds, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is preparing for a potential partial shutdown that could cause widespread disruptions for millions of Americans and impact key reports that protein traders rely on to conduct their day-to-day businesses...

What the Potential Government Shutdown May Mean for Agricultural Price Reporting 

A potential government shutdown is just days away, raising concerns among those who depend on critical data to make timely market assessments and business decisions. A shutdown will begin on October 1 at 12:01 a.m., the start of the federal fiscal year, if Congress does not pass a funding plan that President Biden signs into law.

The Senate is currently preparing its own bipartisan plan for a stopgap measure to keep offices funded after Saturday’s deadline. Failure to reach an agreement on a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal...