The wheels of government are turning again, folks, and what we are witnessing is a familiar Washington story with a twist that tells us plenty about where the battle lines are truly drawn.
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris is ready to give his tentative blessing to the Senate’s bipartisan deal that would end the government shutdown. But as any seasoned observer of Capitol Hill knows, the devil is always in the details, and Harris has made one thing crystal clear: there is a line he will not cross.
The Maryland Republican stated he is leaning toward supporting the legislation, though he emphasized he is still reviewing its final particulars. His support hinges on one critical provision remaining intact, a measure that cracks down on the sale of intoxicating hemp products.
“As it currently is formatted, I would probably be a ‘yes’ vote,” Harris explained, before adding his significant caveat. If efforts by Senator Rand Paul to strip the hemp crackdown succeed, Harris says he cannot support the bill. The issue at stake is closing what Harris describes as a dangerous loophole from the 2018 Farm Bill that allows hemp-derived products with intoxicating THC levels to be sold, in some states even to children.
This is not small potatoes. We are talking about a public health concern that has flown under the radar while lawmakers focused on bigger headline battles.
The Senate broke through its weekslong government funding impasse Sunday night in a vote that saw eight Democrats join all Republicans, save for Paul, to overcome a filibuster on the updated spending bill. The possibility remains that senators could strike a unanimous agreement to move the legislation quickly, but Paul’s position on the hemp provision could throw sand in the gears.
Setting aside that one sticking point, Harris characterized the legislative package as looking “pretty favorable” based on what he has reviewed so far. He suggested the rest of his right-wing House Republican caucus likely shares that assessment.
“We’re still unpacking the entire package, but with the exception of the reversal of federal layoffs, I think that the members are pretty favorable toward the rest of the package,” Harris noted.
The deal’s terms include a new extension of fiscal year 2025 federal funding levels through January 30, buying congressional negotiators more time to hammer out a longer-term agreement on fiscal year 2026 spending. The package would also advance legislation funding the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction, and the legislative branch. These represent three of the twelve individual bills that comprise Congress’ annual appropriations, bundled together in what Capitol Hill insiders call a “minibus.”
In what Democrats are claiming as a victory, the deal would reverse federal layoffs conducted earlier, a point that has conservatives like Harris expressing reservations.
The question now is whether Paul will stand firm on his opposition to the hemp provision, potentially dragging out the process, or whether cooler heads will prevail and allow the government to reopen without further delay. What is certain is that this deal represents the kind of compromise that makes neither side entirely happy, which in Washington often means it just might work.
The coming hours will tell us whether this deal has legs or whether we are in for another round of legislative brinkmanship.
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