President Biden Signs Continuing Resolution, Appropriations Bills Wait For After Holiday

Members of Congress headed for the aisles Thursday, after a week that, on the one hand, was chaotic, and on the other, even more chaotic. Still, in the middle of it all, they managed to avoid a government shutdown by passing a 2-step continuing resolution, which President Biden signed.

There was strong bipartisan support in the Senate for the CR, which funds some agencies until mid-January and others into early February--and extends the 2018 Farm Bill until next October.

But because it left funding levels unchanged and contained no border security provisions, it needed special parliamentary treatment and full Democratic support to overcome hefty Republican opposition in the House.

Five of Oklahoma's seven members voted yes, including Congresswoman Stephanie Bice (R-OK5).

"Buying ourselves a little more time," Rep. Bice said in an interview Wednesday, "really is the objectives here."

And with tempers flaring on both sides of the Capitol this week, buying some time to cool off may be a good thing.

Certainly, in the House, Republicans will have to stop fighting with each other if they hope to pass the five (of 12) remaining appropriations bills.

"We are making progress," said Tom Cole (R-OK4), "but I think the problem is, people think we rule the world -- we have a narrow majority in one house."

That's why Senator Mullin (R-OK) says the best thing to do would be, like the Farm Bill, extend the CR until October and start working on fiscal year 25 now.

"We’re playing a game that everybody knows -- both sides know -- we are not gonna do all 12 appropriation bills," Mullin said in an interview Thursday, "so let’s call a spade a spade and move forward."

But even if Senator Mullin is right, it's highly unlikely House and Senate leaders would agree at this stage to, essentially, admit defeat and push for a yearlong CR. Which is why they will take next week off for Thanksgiving and then return and try again to make some headway on these nagging appropriations bills.