On Tuesday, negotiators in Congress reached a preliminary agreement on a short-term funding bill aimed at preventing a partial government shutdown. The bill would also allocate approximately $100 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion in economic aid to farmers, according to Republican lawmakers.
Congressional staffers were in the process of drafting the legislation, which is expected to reach the House floor later this week. The goal is to pass it through the Senate before the current funding expires at midnight ET on Friday.
“Different folks within their areas of jurisdiction are rapidly writing [legislative] text,” Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., told reporters after a private meeting with House Republicans.
Thompson, who heads the House Agriculture Committee, noted that the bill would provide $10 billion in economic aid for farmers, describing it as a “great start,” especially since various agricultural programs are set to expire at the end of the year.
“The $10 billion is a great start, and I think it’s going to send the right signals to the market that most farmers and ranchers are going to be able to get eligible to the credit that they need to borrow in order to plant a crop or raise a herd,” Thompson said.
Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, informed Reuters that the measure would also include about $100 billion in funding for the recovery from hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters.
According to a Reuters report on Monday, the legislation would extend government funding through March 14.
Before becoming law, the bill must be approved by both the House, where Republicans have the majority, and the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim lead, before being sent to President Joe Biden for final approval.
{Matzav.com}