Senate leaders see hope for timely appropriations bills

Senate Republican and Democratic leaders said today they are optimistic Congress will rise above the partisan gridlock of previous years and pass appropriations bills on time for fiscal year 2019.

"I'm somewhat optimistic based on conversations I've had with the Democratic leader about the appropriations process that we're going to have a higher level of cooperation than we've had," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said during a Capitol Hill press conference.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters he too believed the appropriations process could be concluded before the beginning of the fiscal year Oct. 1 "if everybody cooperates."

"We hope to get the appropriations bills done for the first time, to come to the floor on a bipartisan basis, to not block them and to move forward," he said. "I think we can get all the bills done by the time we have to, which is in September."

However, Schumer said a recent GOP push to rescind non-defense spending granted in previous years could threaten passage of timely appropriations bills.

"To go forward with these rescissions, to bow to the right wing after they voted for a $1.5 trillion deficit-causing tax increase will hurt the ability of the appropriations process to move forward," he said.

Earlier this month, the White House Office of Management and Budget sent Congress a proposal to rescind $15 billion in non-defense spending that was appropriated in previous years. White House officials said the package was the first in a series.

Schumer said some of the spending the White House has proposed rescinding can also be used to ease the passage of upcoming appropriations bills "because often the money that's not spent in previous years is used for pay-fors."

The White House rescission proposal was released following criticism from fiscal conservatives who were angered that President Trump signed a $1.3 trillion FY-18 omnibus spending bill into law.

Analysts have offered opposing takes on whether Congress would move its spending bills through regular order in an election year.

Mackenzie Eaglen, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, said upcoming midterm elections mean there is "zero chance" that FY-19 will start under anything other than a stopgap continuing resolution.

"Midterms are midterms," she said.

But Mark Cancian, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said there is reason for optimism because an existing two-year deal has taken the question of spending toplines off the table.

"If Congress is ever going to get the defense bills done on time, this is the year for it," he said. "There's a budget agreement in place that sets the topline and few policy issues that could derail the process."