'We wasted a lot of time': Another shutdown looms — as Congress breaks for holidays

Lawmakers are back home for the holidays without making any progress to avoid another threatened government shutdown that's just over the horizon.

Congress must reach an agreement to fund the federal government by Jan. 30, but Senate leaders gave up and punted the matter into the start of next year. Republicans and Democrats still haven't started negotiating the details on nine separate funding bills — making another shutdown increasingly likely, reported Politico Monday.

“We wasted a lot of time because the Senate’s not negotiating yet,” said House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-OK). “When they’re ready to negotiate, we can move fast.”

Cole and his counterpart in the Senate, Susan Collins (R-ME), finally reached an agreement over the weekend on the overall totals for the spending bills Congress still needs to pass after a month of discussions, and GOP senators expect to try again in early January to advance a funding package – but Democrats are growing impatient.

“They wasted all that time during the summer,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the House’s top Democratic appropriator. "Democrats are prepared. We’re ready to move. Let’s go."

The Republican appropriations totals aren't public, but Cole said the deal would keep overall funding below levels agreed upon in last month's stopgap funding measure to appease House budget hawks who want to keep funding flat for federal agencies.

“I don’t want any spending higher than current-level spending,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX). “If they’re busting the current levels, then they’re going to have to demonstrate to me why.”

House hardliners could create headaches for Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders if their demands aren't reflected in the funding bills.

“You can expect the smoke to start coming up from over that hill and that hill and that hill,” said Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV), who chairs the Homeland Security spending panel, "and there might even be some open flame.”

Amodei said some Republicans are openly talking about the possibility of another shutdown, but others think Congress will most likely keep funding levels the same for the pending nine bills, which Johnson wants to pass before the deadline at the end of January, but Republicans have doubts.

“I wouldn’t bet on that on Polymarket,” said one House Republican.