Republican leaders of the pragmatic House Main Street Caucus — which includes Utah Rep. John Curtis — and the hardline House Freedom Caucus negotiated a deal on Sunday in an attempt to avoid a government shutdown.
The deal includes a small decrease in federal spending paired with new border security policies in return for 30 days of continued government funding beyond the Sept. 30 expiration.
Such a stopgap funding measure is considered a necessary step to give House Republicans time to work through the 11 remaining annual spending bills. But in its current state, the deal appears to lack the support needed to pass along partisan lines — or with help from across the aisle — in a narrowly divided and highly polarized Congress.
“I am optimistic that we will eventually get something done. I’m pessimistic that it will be smooth. And it feels like there will be a lot of pain before we get to the answer,” Curtis said in an interview with the Deseret News.
The “continuing resolution” would extend funding for Congress’ 12 appropriations bills until Oct. 31 at slightly less than FY 2023 levels, including an 8% cut in discretionary spending across all government agencies — excluding disaster, defense and veterans funding.
However, a number of Freedom Caucus members have come out in opposition to the continuing resolution, saying it does not go far enough to cut spending and fight back against the Biden administration.
Read what Curtis had to say about Freedom Caucus members who he says are "willing to let the institution crumble in their efforts to do 'winner take all.'"
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