This year, possible riders that may affect employers and employee benefits run the gamut. Legislation unrelated to funding is often attached as a “rider” to funding a bill. After that, the question is whether there will be a longer-term CR to fund the government through mid-March (when the debt ceiling is reached) or mid-September (when the threat of the government defaulting on its obligations becomes real), or somewhere in between. Most likely, it will be two one-week CRs, taking us to late December when many lawmakers (particularly those who will not be returning) want to get home for the holidays.
UN RESOLUTION LAME DUCK PERIOD SERIES
Conventional wisdom suggests that a series of continuing resolutions (CRs) - stopgap funding measures designed to keep the government operating - will be enacted. Nevertheless, in all likelihood, there will be a certain amount of kicking the can down the road. However, this year - with a lame-duck session - there will be additional challenges if, in fact, many lawmakers lose their seats and control in one or more chambers change. Government FundingĪverting a threat of a government shutdown has been a recurring issue in all but four of the most recent 40 fiscal years. In other words, should many lawmakers lose their seats during the November 8 election, Congress may become somewhat paralyzed and ineffective during the lame-duck session. In such case, there may not be enough congressmen during the lame-duck session interested in advancing legislation and securing bipartisan solutions. While the outcome is far from sure, some experts are speculating that, with a number of congressmen leaving Congress on January 3, the Senate and perhaps the House might flip from Republican to Democratic control.
This election campaign period has been anything but traditional. As noted in that issue, the impact - arising in part from furloughs or layoffs - could be extensive, affecting numerous HR operations (such as annual enrollment) and benefit plan operations (such as eligibility to participate and/or to receive a distribution). Please see our SeptemLegislate for guidance on what a government shutdown could mean for private employers and the benefit plans they sponsor. Hold Supreme Court confirmation hearings to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat.Attach any policy matters to a minibus or an omnibus funding bill.Moreover, the lawmakers will need to contend with a series of other issues including whether to: To avert a government shutdown on December 10, members of both congressional chambers, upon their return to session the week of November 14, must again address funding. BackgroundĪlthough the current congressional term ends on January 3, 2017, the government’s 2016 fiscal year ended September 30 with a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 9.
Their first priority is to keep the government operating after December 9, when funding will end. Navigating the “lame-duck” session, the short legislative period after the November 8 election, will be a complex, high-stakes endeavor for members of Congress.
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