Hello fellow political junkies!
This week marks yet another attempt to prevent a government shutdown.
The deal between House and Senate leadership allows funding to continue for 20 percent of the government including the Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Agriculture which would have shut down at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted on a 320-99 vote Thursday on HR 7463 which is a continuing resolution to keep the government open for a few more weeks while work continues on appropriations bills.
The continuing resolution went to the Senate where it passed without amendments on a 77-13 vote.
The continuing resolution provides fiscal year 2024 appropriations to Federal agencies for continuing projects and activities funded in four of the 12 annual appropriations bills through March 8.
The eight remaining appropriations bills were funded through March 22.
Biden signed the resolution March 1.
The last time we came this close to a government shutdown was in October when Congress came together for a deal that kept the government open for 45 days and left the U.S. House of Representatives without a speaker for weeks.
Meanwhile on the Hill
Longtime Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, announced Wednesday that he will step down from his leadership position in November but finish out his term in 2027.
McConnell, 82, is the longest-serving Senate leader in history, having served as Senate Republican leader since 2007.
More on this from the Associated Press.
The U.S. Supreme Court set oral arguments in former President Donald Trump’s immunity claim for the week of April 22.
Trump has asserted that he has immunity from things he allegedly did while in office, including his actions on Jan. 6, 2021. None of Trump’s election-related cases can proceed without the Supreme Court decision.
The Supreme Court previously heard oral arguments in the case about whether or not Trump disqualified himself based on the Disqualification Clause in the Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
So far, there has not been an opinion released on that case.
More on this from The Washington Post.
2024 Primary Election
A judge ruled that Trump can be removed from the Illinois primary ballot citing the 14th Amendment’s disqualification clause barring insurrectionists from holding office.
Colorado and Maine have also barred Trump from their primary election ballots citing the 14th Amendment.
Trump said that he was going to challenge Illinois’ decision in court.
The Colorado and Maine decisions are on hold pending the Supreme Court decision concerning Trump, his actions on Jan. 6, 2021 and the 14th Amendment.
More on this from The Washington Post.
While the Republican Primary is the biggest news with Trump winning over Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina Governor and U.N. Ambassador under Trump.
Also in this week’s primaries, protest votes against Biden not seeking a permanent ceasefire in Gaza took place in Michigan with 13 percent of voters marking uncommitted.
The New Mexico primary is June 4 with candidate filing day for statewide offices set for March 12.
The 2024 Primary Election Contest/Candidate List can be found on the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office website.
For more information about elections contact your local county clerk’s office which can also help you check on or update your voter registration, a process that can also be done online at NMVote.org.
Interim meetings
When the interim committees begin meeting, their information will be posted here.
For more information on interim committees visit www.nmlegis.gov.
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