NATION: Congress convenes on Wednesday set to vote on a stop-gap bill to prevent a government shut down. In this, the 119th congressional session, Mike Johnson takes the ribbon for postponing payment of federal debt compared to any House speaker in history. By Michelle Crawford-Sapenter In a plan that has posed questions surrounding the continually postponed decision on the federal budget spending, today, Congress has gone to work to further put off the payment of the budget while shoring up a plan that to sidestep a complete shut down which , in this Congress, may stand as a heinous event that could take weeks to resolve. Tuesday heated negotiations failed to end with any agreement between President Joe Biden, House speaker, Johnson and members of the House and Senate. The unresolved questions for Congress hinged on whether to approve a fiscal budget or one that would seem to continue the current milieu in a 4th short -term agreement. Congress however, cannot duck the issue completely. The US Congress is responsible for making the ultimate decision involving passing government budget bill. Congress is authorized by the US Constitution having the 'power ofthe purse' at their disposal. While the US budget process is guided by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, it is the duty of the President to submit the proposed budget and the responsibility to Congress to approve and pass the White House proposal. Today, Johnson seems to be laden with dissonance when considering what may be best for the government and the nation, an act of indecision that would , albeit, plague the federal process lethargy and that which seems engulf matters that are directly associable to a lack of responsibility. Today, the $1.59 T budget forwarded to Congress as proposed by the White House appears to serve as a non-contact sport to Johnson who , also, appears to be playing a wait and see game that would create the lingering short -term spending budget , such that might allow the Republicans enough time within the stop-gap to stop Biden's budget decisions in the hope that a Republican--Trump--might steal back the White House game ball. During the stops and gaps, the Johnson Republicans are vying for reductions in the federal food allowance bill and on spending for abortion. Congress has until the March 8 deadline to make the next possible, final, cut unless Congress decides, again, to approve another short-term bill.
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