White House blesses plan to pass partial federal funding stopgap

(The Center Square) – Exactly three weeks until the federal government runs out of funds, top Democrats and Republicans finally appear united on a general course of action to avert a shutdown.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters Tuesday that House Appropriations subcommittees are determined to advance to the floor all 12 appropriations bills providing updated annual funding for federal agencies.

The impending Sept. 30 deadline makes it virtually impossible that all the bills will pass both chambers of Congress on time. But Johnson is confident that House Democrats and Republicans can come together and pass the three which have made it through the Senate already, then set the rest of federal funding on cruise control until November by passing a Continuing Resolution, or CR.