Leaders on both sides of the aisle were able to come to agreement earlier this month on a topline for the 12 annual government funding bills for fiscal year 2024.
But top appropriators say they have yet to learn how the dollars will be divided among the measures as spending talks continue.
Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she’s “concerned about the lack of a resolution.”
“This has been dragging on for a long time and I really don’t know why,” Collins said.
Congress passed last week a bill that temporarily funded agencies that fall under four of the 12 annual appropriations bills through March 1.
The bill extends the deadline for the remaining eight bills through March 8, when agencies like the departments of Defense, Labor, Education, State, Homeland Security and others face funding lapses.
Appropriators on both sides of the aisle are confident the extra time will be enough for them to finish crafting the 12 annual funding bills but acknowledge it’s a time crunch that will only get tighter the longer it takes for them to ramp up talks on their own bills.
“We don’t have a hell of a lot of time,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.).
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
