Congress is back from the Thanksgiving holiday, but the legislative challenges, unlike the turkey, have not disappeared—many with direct implications for American Samoa. KHJ News Washington DC correspondent Matt Kaye with this report.
Big differences remain between House Republicans and Senate Democrats over spending levels, priorities and bill riders.
The House has passed 7 of 12 agency spending bills, including Interior, the Senate just three, with bicameral agreement on none.
That forced a two-step stop-gap extension before Thanksgiving to keep some agencies open into January, others, February.
Longtime Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the extension keeps funding alive for those like USDA—of special interest for American Samoa and its nutrition program…
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…referring to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer…
ASG’s nutrition program will actually continue until, at least, next September 30th, the date through which Congress extended the expired 2018 farm bill, as part of the stop-gap funding.
The House did pass the Interior spending bill that funds ASG through the Office of Insular Affairs, but cut overall Interior spending by more than 13 (B) billion below last fiscal year and 21-plus (B) billion below the president’s request—unacceptable to the Senate.
But Grassley complains the House isn’t the only problem, that Leader Schumer needs to keep his promise to restore regular order in doing spending bills…
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House Republicans also refuse to do a massive omnibus bill or another stop gap, with the second big deadline looming February 2nd for defense and other agencies.
Meanwhile, Grassley predicts passage of the annual defense policy bill passed for 64 straight years and key for countering China’s expansion efforts in the Pacific.
