Senate to Avoid Government Shutdown, Infrastructure Vote on Deck

The Senate is expected to vote on a spending bill today, potentially avoiding a government shutdown that would put thousands of federal employees on furlough as the fiscal year comes to a close at the end of the month. This week, members of the Senate began putting together a temporary spending bill extending funding to December 3 in an effort to handle one of the critical money issues being debated in Washington. However, even if a spending bill passes in the Senate, funding for the Highway Trust Fund will depend on passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill that is also scheduled for a vote today in the House. But the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) could face significant opposition from lawmakers on either side of the aisle as factions within the Democratic party have struggled to cement consensus. Should the infrastructure bill fail, lawmakers could find themselves in a scramble to put together a bill to keep the Department of Transportation open for business.

The Federal Liaison Center will continue to monitor this legislative activity as it develops.