WASHINGTON _ House Republicans appear to be leaning toward a government funding package that would use a continuing resolution to extend most departments' fiscal 2016 funding levels into December while possibly finalizing fiscal 2017 spending for a handful of agencies.
Several members leaving a GOP conference meeting Friday morning said that the majority of Republicans expressed a preference for a short-term CR into December, though no final decisions have been made.
Speaker Paul D. Ryan weighed the pros and cons of both a three-month and six-month CR, the two main options he's heard from members, according to one attendee. Ryan said whatever the duration, he would prefer the House finish the appropriations process by passing individual appropriations bills or smaller packages of bills known as "minibuses."
The source said that more than 50 members spoke after Ryan and the "vast majority" advocated for a three-month CR.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers suggested that December would likely be the end date.
"The bottom line is to pass a CR into December to give us a chance to pass minibuses," the Kentucky Republican said.
Despite interest among members in finishing the 12 individual appropriations bills by December, likely through minibuses, Ryan acknowledged that may not happen, according to a member speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private conference meeting.
According to the member, Ryan indicated that the priority would be to finish spending bills for national security and as many others as possible before the end of December. For unfinished bills, the House would likely pass a second CR to extend current funding for those agencies through the end of fiscal 2017.
The idea of a second CR did not go over well with appropriators who are in charge of the discretionary spending not related to national security.
Republicans have time to hammer out their disagreements while they try to act quickly on a short-term CR before the current fiscal year ends Sept. 30. House leaders still have to decide what can and needs to be added onto the CR.
Emergency spending to address the Zika virus outbreak is widely expected to be added, members said, but there are still disagreements on how to pay for the expected $1.1 billion outlay and whether to drop language that Democrats say is designed to prevent Planned Parenthood clinics from receiving any of the money.
House Republicans are also discussing whether they can move one or more individual appropriations bills with the CR to get their minibus strategy started.
The Military Construction-VA appropriations bill is probably the most likely since the House and Senate have already finalized a compromise version. Other individual appropriations bills members have floated as possible attachments to a larger CR include energy and water, defense and legislative branch funding measures.
