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What's a Government Shutdown and Why Are We In One?A government shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass annual spending bills or a stopgap continuing resolution (CR) to keep agencies funded. No funding = no authority to operate = federal workers furloughed, services paused, and chaos for agencies and contractors.The House has passed a CR that would fund the government through November 21, but the Senate has rejected it three times. That CR keeps spending at current levels and buys Congress more time to negotiate a full budget. Think of it as saying, “We'll work out the details later, but in the meantime, keep the lights on.”So why the rejection? The sticking points are:* Democrats want the bill to include an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which are about to expire.* They also want to block the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from continuing to cut previously appropriated funds—something they see as a power grab.* Senator Rand Paul is the only Republican joining Democrats in opposing the House CR, but most Senate Democrats have voted it down.What Has to Happen to End the Shutdown?There are four main steps to reopening the government:* Negotiate a compromise CR. Either Republicans agree to ACA and OMB language, or Democrats back off.* Secure bicameral agreement. If the Senate changes the bill, it has to go back to the House.* Presidential approval. Trump has hinted he won't sign anything that includes ACA subsidies or limits on the OMB.* Implementation. Once signed, agencies resume normal operations and furloughed workers return.Two likely paths out of the shutdown:* Republicans stand firm → Democrats allow a CR vote without ACA or OMB demands, hoping to negotiate later.* A compromise CR is passed → includes ACA subsidies and OMB limits → enough Senate Democrats back it → risk of Trump veto remains.Why Is This So Complicated?The shutdown highlights a procedural gap between the House and Senate:* In the House, Republicans have a majority and can pass CRs with zero Democratic votes.* In the Senate, most bills need 60 votes to end debate (invoke cloture) and move to a final vote. Republicans don't have the numbers.Republicans could try to change Senate rules—eliminate the filibuster for budget bills and go with a simple majority—but that would be a massive institutional shift with long-term consequences.Until a resolution is reached, the government remains partially closed and the policy fight over ACA funding and executive power continues.What Happens If Republicans Do Make the Change?If Senate Republicans decide to invoke the so-called “nuclear option”—changing the chamber's rules to eliminate the 60-vote threshold for spending bills—the legislative and political landscape could shift immediately and dramatically.Immediate consequences:Republicans could pass the House-approved continuing resolution with no Democratic support, reopening the government on their terms. That means no extension of ACA subsidies, no restrictions on the Office of Management and Budget, and no need to negotiate across the aisle.Medium-term effects:The rule change would permanently alter how Congress handles appropriations. Any party with a Senate majority and House control could pass funding bills unilaterally, sidestepping the need for bipartisan coalitions. This could speed up the process—but also deepen partisan divides in budget negotiations.Long-term implications:Effectively, it would mean the end of the filibuster for all spending legislation. Shutdowns might become less frequent, since fewer votes are needed to keep the government open—but funding priorities could swing wildly every time control of Congress changes hands. One Congress could expand programs and hike spending; the next could cut deeply, all with a simple majority.In short, while the nuclear option would solve the immediate standoff, it would reshape the Senate's role in fiscal policymaking—and shift power further toward the majority party.Why Can't Republicans Just Pass a Budget Bill?If you've been hearing people say, “Just pass it as a budget bill—no filibuster needed,” here's why that's not happening.The Senate does have a special process called budget reconciliation, which allows certain bills to pass with just 51 votes—no filibuster, no 60-vote threshold. But there are some important catches:* It can only be used once per fiscal year.Technically, reconciliation instructions can cover three areas—spending, revenue, and the debt limit—but Congress usually combines them into a single package. That bill has already been used this year (for the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”), so the reconciliation tool is off the table until the next fiscal year.* The content of the bill is strictly limited.Under the Byrd Rule, reconciliation bills must directly relate to taxing or spending. Any provision that doesn't have a direct budgetary effect, or that increases the deficit beyond a 10-year window, gets stripped out—or the whole bill risks being disqualified.That's why the current CR probably couldn't go through reconciliation even if that option remained available this fiscal year. It likely includes provisions that violate the Byrd Rule—and certainly would if the OMB limitation Democrats want was included. Those elements either aren't strictly budgetary or would impact the long-term deficit.So even though Republicans hold a Senate majority, they can't simply slap a “budget” label on this bill and pass it with 51 votes. That procedural door is closed for now.If they want to bypass the filibuster, their only real option would be to change Senate rules—a dramatic move that would eliminate the 60-vote requirement for spending bills altogether. Otherwise, they'll need to cut a deal that clears the 60-vote threshold—or accept a prolonged shutdown.That is the current state of the shutdown – we'll see you back here on Monday for our usual daily news shows. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
The FULL Friday Bob Rose Show with the latest from Senate Democrats who are signaling they will vote FOR the House CR that funds the government through September. The latest on the budget showdown, Gator hoops, healthcare, GRU savings, Pi Day and St. Patty's Day
Signs from Senate minority leaders that they will vote for the House CR and avert a government shutdown. Where the votes stand, what it means, plus the morning's breaking news on Hour 1 of the Bob Rose Show for 3-14-25
In this episode of Good Morning Liberty, hosts Nate Thurston and Charles Chuck Thompson dive into a heated discussion sparked by Donald Trump's recent remarks against Congressman Thomas Massie. They analyze Trump's statement celebrating the caucus for opposing the Democrats' plans to raise taxes, while simultaneously criticizing Massie for his consistent 'no' votes on continuing resolutions. Despite Massie's past endorsement of Trump, the former president calls for him to be primaried. Nate and Charlie dissect the implications of Trump's fluctuating stance, touching on broader themes of government spending, accountability, and libertarian principles. They also highlight responses from various right-wing commentators and the broader political reactions, including those from figures like Rand Paul and Matt Walsh. The hosts emphasize the critical, ongoing debate about fiscal responsibility and the challenges of enacting meaningful budget cuts in a politically charged environment. (01:14) Trump's Message and Critique (04:22) Discussion on Government Spending (08:48) Massie's Stance and Political Dynamics (15:22) Public and Media Reactions (23:08) Trump's All-or-Nothing Stance (23:55) Fiscal Concerns and Government Spending (24:52) Interest on National Debt (27:04) Trump's Media Fear and Transparency Issues (28:15) Massie's Stand Against COVID Spending (31:11) Milton Friedman's Insight on Congress (37:11) Elon Musk and Entitlement Spending Links: https://gml.bio.link/ YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/3UwsRiv RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/c/GML Check out Martens Minute! https://martensminute.podbean.com/ Follow Josh Martens on X: https://twitter.com/joshmartens13 Join the private discord & chat during the show! joingml.com Bank on Yourself bankonyourself.com/gml Get FACTOR Today! FACTORMEALS.com/factorpodcast Good Morning Liberty is sponsored by BetterHelp! Rediscover your curiosity today by visiting Betterhelp.com/GML (Get 10% off your first month) Protect your privacy and unlock the full potential of your streaming services with ExpressVPN. Get 3 more months absolutely FREE by using our link EXPRESSVPN.com/GML
House Rules March 27th 2019 Episode 71 " House Crüe" --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/house-rules-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/house-rules-podcast/support
Many members of Congress believe government shutdowns are bad for business and say the recent wagon train of continuing resolutions make it tough for them to properly oversee agency spending. Yet, Congress is considering its fifth continuing resolution of the fiscal year this week. Federal News Radio's Nicole Ogrysko joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss what may happen when the current CR expires at the end of the day tomorrow.
Register for Podfest: Pay It Forward January 19th was a big day for the 115th Congress: Part of the government ran out of funding and some spying authorities also expired. In this episode, learn about FISA reauthorization law that contained a giant loophole that will allow previously inadmissible information to be used against you in court, get all the details about the 69 hour shutdown that resulted from an attempt by the Democratic Party to … do something for the Dreamers, get enraged by the dingleberries attached to the fourth temporary funding law of this fiscal year, and discover why Jen is angry with just about everyone right now. Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD165: Christmas Dingleberries CD098: The USA Freedom Act Please Support Congressional Dish Click here to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Bills S. 139: FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Sec. 101: Requires the Attorney General to create procedures for searching through the database that are consistent with the fourth amendment to the Constitution. The procedures must require that records of the query term used be kept Allows the FBI to search through the database and access the content of communications acquired via foreign surveillance for criminal investigations unrelated to national security if they get a court order. The FBI doesn't need to get the court order if the FBI determines "there is a reasonable belief that such contents could assist in mitigating or eliminating a threat to life or serious bodily harm." The new rules are effective January 1, 2018 Sec. 102: Information acquired via the foreign surveillance program can be used against us in court if the FBI gets a FISA court order, if the Attorney General says it is related to national security, OR the criminal proceeding involves crimes including: Death Kidnapping Serious bodily injury An offense against a minor Destruction of critical infrastructure ("assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that in incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters.") Cybersecurity Transnational crimes, including drug and/or human trafficking A determination made by the Attorney General can not be reviewed by the courts. Sec. 110: Prohibits punishment for FBI and intelligence community contractors who report violations of law to certain authorities inside the government and Congressional committees. Sec. 201: Delays the repeal of authorities granted in Title VII of the FISA Amendments Act until December 31, 2023. The authorities allow the Attorney General and Director of National Intelligence to target people non-Americans outside the United States Sec. 202: Increases the penalty for unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents from a fine and/or 1 year in prison to a fine and/or 5 years in prison. H.R. 195: Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018; HEALTHY KIDS Act; Federal Register Printing Savings Act of 2017 Division A: Federal Register Printing Savings Act of 2017 Prohibits copies of the Federal Register from being printed for members of Congress unless they request it. CBO says this will end the distribution of about 1,000 copies of the 300-page Federal Register that are distributed daily for free, saving ~$1 million per year. Division B: Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 Extends 2017 government funding levels until February 8, 2018. Allows the ~$4 billion appropriated for missile defense in the last CR to be spent by the intelligence agencies on things that were NOT specifically authorized by Congress Division C: HEALTHY KIDS Act Full Title: "Helping Ensure Access for Little Ones, Toddlers, and Hopeful Youth by Keeping Insurance Delivery Stable Act" Funds the Children's Health Insurance Program through 2023 at the following rates: 2018: $21.5 billion 2019: $22.6 billion 2020: $23.7 billion 2021: $24.8 billion 2022: $25.9 billion 2023: $5.7 billion + $20.2 billion = $25.9 billion The 2018 funds that were already appropriated are eliminated. Division D: Suspension of certain health-related taxes Sec. 4001: Delays implementation of the medical device tax until 2020 Sec. 4002: Delays implementation of the tax on high premium insurance plans until 2022 Sec. 4003: Suspends the annual fee on health insurance companies for 2019 & 2020. Division E: Budgetary Effects The budgetary effects of the extension of the CHIP program and the suspension of health industry taxes will not be counted in the PAYGO budget. Additional Reading Article: Top Republican warns that under new spending bill "the intelligence community could expend funds as it sees fit" by Alex Emmons and Ryan Grim, The Intercept, January 22, 2018. Article: Timeline: DACA, the Trump administration and a government shutdown by Miriam Valverde, Polifact, January 22, 2018. Report: Senate votes to end shutdown by Alexander Bolton, The Hill, January 22, 2018. Article: There's a surprise in the Government Funding Bill: More tax cuts by Margot Sanger-Katz and Jim Tankersley, The New York Times, January 22, 2018. Article: The government shutdown: We've been here before, and it lasted weeks by Steve Hendrix, The Washington Post, January 20, 2018. Article: House spending bill changes law to let Trump administration secretly shift intelligence money by Ryan Grim, The Intercept, January 17, 2018. Article: Yes, marches can make a difference. It depends on these three factors by Shom Mazumder, The Washington Post, January 27, 2017. Resources Center for National Security Studies: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Congressional Record: Senate Proceedings Monday, January 22, 2018 *Page 7: Sen. Cochran’s reason for the “blank check” provision Govtrack House Vote: S.139: Rapid DNA Act of 2017 Govtrack Senate Vote: S.139: FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017 Twitter Poll Who do you blame for the #GovernmentShutdown? — CSPAN (@cspan) January 20, 2018 C-SPAN poll - Over 208,000 votes 45% blame Trump 41% blame Congressional D’s 14% blame Congressional R’s Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Senate Session, Part 2, January 22, 2018. 1:08:40 Sen. Richard Burr: The vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee and I were notified when the House CR appeared that there was language in it that was different than in the past. The language in section 148 of the CR is of concern to the Intelligence Committee. Let me just read the language: Sec. 148. Funds appropriated by the Department of Defense Missile Defeat and Defense Enhancements Appropriation Act, 2018 (division B of Public Law 115–96) may be obligated and expended notwithstanding section 504(a)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947. This language is troublesome for the committee because it would authorize the intelligence community to spend funds ‘‘notwithstanding’’ the law that requires prior authorization by the Senate Intelligence Committee or by the House Intelligence Committee. 1:11:00 Sen. Richard Burr: As a result, this language can erode the powers of the authorizing committee. Effectively,the intelligence community could ex-pend funds as it sees fit without an authorization bill in place and with no statutory direction indicating that an authorization bill for 2018 is forth-coming. 1:16:30 Sen. Mark Warner: If this exemption is granted, you could potentially have an administration—any administration—go off and take on covert activities, for example,with no ability for our committee,which spends the time and has the oversight, to say timeout or to say we actually disagree with that policy. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)
Time magazine makes the absolute wrong call in 2010,Pro Gun protections added to the House CR,Koch Brothers hobble the NRA,Murdered trucker is impetus for National Carry Permit for Truck Drivers,Anti Gun PSA is the most irresponsible piece of "production" I have ever seen.
In the hours before the government shutdown, the crisis could have been averted. We take a look at the hours before the deadline and see what Congress has done since they slammed the government's doors shut. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Music: We Can Make the World Stop by Alun Parry (found on Music Alley by mevio) Music: Democracy is Dangerous by Thomas Pace (found on Music Alley by mevio) The Senate Continuing Resolution is the one that has no attacks on the Affordable Care Act; if this bill comes up for a vote, it will almost certainly pass. Who to call to end the shutdown: Rep. John Boehner, Speaker of the House Rep. Eric Cantor, House Majority Leader The bills that passed before the shutdown: (CR = Continuing Resolution) Bill #1: The House CR that didn't really defund Obamacare the Affordable Care Act (Episode CD044) Bill #2: The Senate CR that has not had a vote yet in the House (Episode CD045) Bill #3: The House CR that delays the Affordable Care Act for year (Episode CD046) Bill #4: The House CR that delays the Affordable Care Act & kills employer-paid health benefits subsidies for Congress and their staff. Bill #5: The House bill that requests a conference committee with Senate The bills that have passed the House of Representatives since the shutdown: Bill #6: Funds National Parks and some museums Bill #7: Funds operations in Washington D.C. Bill #8: Funds veterans benefits Bill #9: Funds the National Institutes of Health Bill #10: Funds the National Guard and reserves Representatives quoted in this episode who lied on the floor of the House of Representatives regarding a not-real Congressional exemption from the Affordable Care Act: Rep. Mark Sanford of South Carolina Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado Rep. Tom Cotton of Arkansas Rep. Kenny Marchant of Texas Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky Reality: Congress is required buy insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchanges. The Republicans refused for six months to go to conference & work out the budget differences with the Senate. CD018: The Ryan Budget Representatives quoted in this episode who claimed that Democrats refused to compromise: Rep. Tom McClintock of California Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas Rep. John Mica of Florida YouTube video of Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul Representatives quoted in this episode who ran with the 'negotiate' talking point: Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina Rep. Rob Woodall of Georgia Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania Rep. Blake Farenthold of Texas Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina Rep. James Lankford of Oklahoma Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland Rep. Susan Brooks of Indiana Rep. Steve King of Iowa The individual mandate - the key to the Affordable Care Act - was a Republican idea Consequences of a default caused by a refusal by House Republicans to raise the debt ceiling Roll Call's list of items the House Republicans are considering attaching to a debt ceiling bill. The House plans to vote on bills that deregulate Wall Street as soon as the spotlight is gone. H.R. 992: The bill that deregulates the derivatives market Report that explains why the House Financial Services Committee wants to deregulate the derivitives market H.R. 2374: Prevents regulations that protect 401(k) retirement accounts Report that explains why the House Financial Services Committee wants to stop 401(k) protecting regulations Representatives Quoted in This Episode Rep. Pete DeFazio of Oregon
Weekly live webcast/podcast devoted to discussion of news and politics from the perspective of Ayn Rand's philosophy, Objectivism. Hosted by Amy Peikoff. Showcasing their tremendous powers of evasion, the Senate has voted 79-19 for cloture on the continuing resolution (CR). As I type this, the Senate is voting to remove the language in the House CR that defunded Obamacare. So today's show will unfortunately not be a victory celebration, although ultimate victory is still possible, depending on what the House does in the coming days (and, possibly, weeks). What I would like to do today is celebrate the fact that we have a politician in the U.S. Senate who is willing to stand up against socialized medicine, in a principled way. And the bonus: he read several passages from Ayn Rand's work in the process of doing so.