With nine days remaining until temporary funding for Fiscal Year 2016 expires on December 11, 2015, leaders in the House and Senate expressed renewed optimism that they will reach agreement on an Omnibus Appropriation Bill.
None of the 12 annual appropriation bills have passed the House and Senate or been signed by the President. Legislators agreed on increased spending limits last month, leaving approximately 250 policy riders as hurdles to a final bill. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) refers to them as “vexatious poison pills,” yet notes that their number has been reduced to about 100. Chief among the contentious riders are prohibitions for funding the Administration Clean Power Plan, the rule to redefine Waters of the U.S., and the plan to admit refugees from Syria. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has indicated that the House expects to be in session until December 18, 2016, increasing speculation that another short-term Continuing Resolution could be adopted to extend the deadline another week.