Time of uncertainty in Congress

Congress plans to pass another stop gap spending extension by the time an earlier one runs out November 21st.

KHJ News Washington DC correspondent Matt Kaye reports the move will again delay a boost in ASG federal aid, while other key funding is likely to continue…

Lawmakers plan to vote by next week on a new stopgap spending bill to keep the government open through December 20th, according to the House and Senate appropriations chairs.

They hope to use the extra time to work out key differences in the spending bills, and avoid a longer stopgap bill that might result in no spending increases for the rest of Fiscal Year 2020.

A $400,000 ASG funding boost is not in dispute, but would not likely be paid until lawmakers pass a full-year Interior  spending bill.

One budget expert here, RJ Karney with the American Farm Bureau, says it’s a time of uncertainty–

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A House impeachment vote could collide with another vote on spending just beforeChristmas, as the two chambers try to work out contentious differences onborder wall funding and other issues.

Meantime, earlier ASG funding hikes of $250,000 and $718,000 also secured by Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen, are expected to continue, as would 100-percent Medicaid funding for American Samoa.

The Medicaid boost was contained in the earlier stop-gap that expires next week, and that language is not expected to change in a new stop-gap.

More sweeping Medicaid reform legislation still pending in Congress would extend full-Medicaid reimbursement to American Samoa and the other US islands for several years.