Congress Makes Slow Progress on Fiscal Year 2023 Spending Legislation

Over the weekend, Congressional leaders announced that there has been some progress made in the negotiations over the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 omnibus spending package. Democrats did not offer their own omnibus legislation, which is a sign that Democrats and Republicans are working together toward a negotiated package rather than introducing their own separate versions.

However, there is still no deal between the parties on a top-line number for overall FY 2023 spending. Without a top-line number, members cannot move forward with the details of the legislation. If there is no agreement, Congress will be forced to pass a year-long continuing resolution rather than a substantive omnibus bill. And, given the timing of the negotiations, today Congress will introduce a one-week short-term continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown when current funding expires on December 16.

Most believe an agreement will ultimately be reached, but the delays—which could extend past the holidays—will impact how much other policy can be agreed to in a final package this year, making it more likely that the legislation will focus on extensions to existing health care policies rather than new policies. ANCOR will continue to provide updates as we know them.