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U.S. Senate to vote on government funding plan

The director of the Gardner Agricultural Policy Program at the University of Illinois says Friday’s scheduled U.S. Senate vote on a Continuing Resolution to keep the government operating will raise questions no matter the outcome.

“There is no good situation that involves a government shutdown.”

Jonathan Coppess tells Brownfield, “What does it mean if you continue the funding, but they wiped out an agency, or they’re freezing those funds?”  He says, “You know, I don’t know how any of that works out and so I think we’re really in this sort of rock and a hard place kind of situation.”

He says a government shutdown could further impact farmers awaiting promised aid from the American Relief Act of 2025.

“They can’t issue payments if the government’s not operating, so those could be on hold.”  He says, “Those were appropriated by Congress. So, under normal situations we would say, you know, it’s just a matter of time.”

Coppess says Republicans have the bare majority needed to pass the House’s six-month spending bill that passed earlier this week, however procedural hurdles could play out.  

The deadline to avoid a shutdown is midnight Friday.

AUDIO: Jonathan Coppess – University of Illinois