Congress preps for spending sprint amid Biden pardon fallout
While a shutdown isn’t atop anyone’s holiday wish list, there’s significant disagreement about how long a short-term government funding patch should last into the new President-elect Donald Trump term.
ANTHONY ADRAGNA 12/02/2024, 9:24AM ET
Lawmakers are back for the annual legislative end-of-year sprint, in what should be a busy three weeks in the waning days of Joe Biden’s presidency.
The most immediate issue: Congress faces a Dec. 20 government funding deadline. While a shutdown isn’t atop anyone’s holiday wish list, there’s significant disagreement about how long a short-term government funding patch should last into President-elect Donald Trump’s new term — and what other priorities, like tens of billions in sought-after disaster aid, might hitch a ride to that bill. With lawmakers now back in Washington post-Thanksgiving, look for some decisions to start being made on the way forward.
Some other pressing questions: The Senate returns Monday while the House comes back Tuesday. Here’s some other key topics lawmakers are such to face questions about:
- Biden’s pardon of Hunter: The president’s parting “full and unconditional” pardon of his son Hunter will continue to draw scrutiny over its scope and breadth — particularly after Joe Biden denied repeatedly for months that he would make it.
- Kash Patel for FBI director: Republican senators are sure to get a barrage of inquiries about whether the staunch Trump loyalist — who’s floated conspiracy theories about the 2020 election won by Biden and has called for the removal of Trump enemies from the government — can be confirmed to lead the FBI. Just three GOP senators could defect with JD Vance breaking ties, assuming unified Democratic opposition.
Beyond those front-of-mind topics, there’s a few other notable events to keep an eye on this week:
- Elon and Vivek to Washington: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are heading to Capitol Hill on Thursday to meet with Republicans about reform ideas for their new so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
- Remember that Ethics report? It has slipped from the headlines since former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) withdrew from consideration as Trump’s attorney general, but the House Ethics Committee is due to meet again on Dec. 5 to mull whether to release its completed report on the former member.
- Final meeting on Trump assassination: The task force set up in the aftermath of the assassination attempts against Trump meets for the final time on Thursday.
Lead Art: The Senate returns Monday while the House comes back Tuesday. | Angelina Katsanis/POLITICO
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/12/02/congress/this-week-on-the-hill-00192126
Hunter’s pardon shouldn’t be a surprise to U.S. knowing all they are capable of doing. Biden’s going down as one of the worst, if not THE worst president in our history. Maybe Trump can find some loop hole. Too much corruption in the family & Hunter may have been used but there’s no doubt that the robbed the government & the people.
I read yesterday that we may be seeing some illegals leaving the U.S. on their own. To receive their Nesara money they must live in their native country. Wouldn’t that be a big perk for us too??? We will see but it is in the Nesara rules.
Hunter will break the law again, probably, just watch.