Next Week on the Hill: Government Funded Through Dec. 20 As Congress Adjourns for Thanksgiving Break

Lawmakers have left Washington for the Thanksgiving district work period following enactment of a one-month continuing resolution that will fund the government through Dec. 20. Fiscal year (FY) 2020 negotiations are expected to continue over the Thanksgiving break, as both House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) have offered guarded optimism about striking a deal on subcommittee allocations for each of the 12 spending measures. However, lingering disagreements pertaining to President Donald Trump’s border wall priority — namely over funding allocations and his authority to transfer funds to the project — remain a key wildcard in the process.

Congress will return to Washington the week of Dec.2 to begin an end-of-the-year legislative blitz. In addition to funding for FY 2020, legislative movement could happen on big-ticket priorities such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, prescription drug pricing, and tax extenders. The Senate will return first on Monday, Dec. 2, with the House reconvening a day later on Tuesday, Dec. 3.