WASHINGTON -- Congress will take up a continuing resolution to fund the government on the week of Sept. 19, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) told reporters on Wednesday, which could prevent a government shutdown caused by Congress not passing appropriations bills by the new fiscal year.
House Republicans hoped to move through the normal budget process, but delays in passing the 12 appropriations bills makes this virtually impossible by the Sept. 30 deadline. Instead, Cantor confirmed there will be a continuing resolution to fund the government after the current continuing resolution runs out on Sept. 30.
The bill will likely take government funding through "late fall," Cantor said, declining to comment on specific dates.
The bill should cut discretionary spending by about $7 billion, according to a deal set in place during the debt ceiling increase in August. But some House Republicans would like to see further cuts as part of the upcoming bill.
In an Aug. 17 memo, he hinted at the upcoming tension over whether -- and how much -- to cut spending as part of the upcoming continuing resolution.
"While all of us would like to have seen a lower discretionary appropriations ceiling for the upcoming fiscal year, the debt limit agreement did set a level of spending that is a real cut from the current year level," he reminded his members. "I believe it is in our interest to enact into law full-year appropriations bills at this new lower level."