Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | October 7, 2021
Dear Friends,
We promised you an intense fall, and Congress has definitely delivered. With four whole hours to spare, on September 30 President Biden signed a Continuing Resolution providing FY22 funding through December 3. But the real drama that ushered in October concerned the fate of the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Democrats’ reconciliation package that will likely include somewhere north of $1.5 trillion in additional spending, on everything from climate change to child care to community college. The rest of the month will be dominated by negotiations over exactly what to include, and for how long, to craft a package that can win the support of Democrats in both chambers and across the ideological spectrum.
And of course, the major focus this week has been on the approaching debt limit crisis, which appears to have been staved off — but not for long. Enter Senior Fellow Josh Huder, who writes this month about reconciliation as a possible pathway out, and its political and procedural challenges.
For more on reconciliation, infrastructure and the rest of President Biden’s agenda in Congress, check out this discussion between Senior Fellow Matt Glassman and Matt Grossman hosted by the Niskanen Center. And Senior Fellow Laura Blessing contributed a chapter on the current state of the congressional budget process to a new book titled “Under the Iron Dome: Congress From the Inside.”
Finally, please note that all GAI classes will be held online through the end of 2021. We very much hope 2022 brings us the opportunity to return to in-person teaching and to see many of you again. Until then, we have a full schedule of virtual training available and always welcome the chance to tailor a program for your organization.
All the best,
Kristin
Categories: Director's Desk, Media Center, Updates