WASHINGTON--U.S. senators could be headed into a compressed and unpredictable workweek as they race to finalize the remaining six federal funding bills, with party leaders likely needing to exert pressure to prevent a partial government shutdown ahead of the Jan. 30 deadline.
A major winter storm impacting parts of the country — including the Washington, D.C., region — are disrupting travel plans for lawmakers returning to Capitol Hill. As of Friday, senators have not received formal direction from leadership on whether they should plan to be in Washington on Monday, POLITICO reported, citing two individuals familiar with internal discussions.
Some lawmakers are already receiving airline alerts about potential travel delays, while others are privately expressing uncertainty about how quickly they will be able to return to the capital, POLITICO added.
Any travel disruptions could further tighten an already narrow timeline for resolving unresolved disputes tied to the spending package, increasing pressure on negotiators as the shutdown deadline approaches.
“With the Senate postponing Monday’s vote until Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. due to the impending storm, the margin for error ahead of the January 30 funding deadline continues to narrow," Defense Credit Union Council Chief Advocacy Officer Jason Stverak told CUToday.info. "Severe weather has the potential to disrupt travel and limit senators’ ability to return to Washington in time for final votes, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already compressed legislative calendar."
Stverak said DCUC is closely monitoring developments, as any delays in final passage of the spending bills could have downstream implications for federal agencies, the Department of War, and the military families and communities credit unions serve.
"We urge Senate leadership to account for these logistical realities and ensure sufficient time and flexibility for members to be present and vote before the deadline,” Stverak said.