The new year will bring new challenges for lawmakers, who must confront crises at home and abroad as the 2024 elections take center stage and threaten to deepen partisan divisions on Capitol Hill.
The race for the White House is poised to play a major role in influencing what gets done – and what doesn’t – on Capitol Hill, and the balance of power in Congress is at stake with key Senate and House races on the ballot.
The most pressing issues are a pair of government shutdown deadlines in January and February and a high-stakes effort to strike a deal over border security and aid for Ukraine and Israel. It’s far from clear, however, whether lawmakers will be able to reach consensus over border security and foreign aid and legislation to avert a shutdown.
As the 2024 election increasingly dominates the political landscape, consensus could become even more difficult as partisan disputes risk becoming harder to overcome on Capitol Hill.
Senate negotiators have been seeking a deal on border security that could be tied to aid for Ukraine and Israel, among other priorities, as Republicans insist that an aid package be paired with major border security policy changes.
The House and Senate aren’t due to return for votes until next week, but border security talks have continued during the holiday break. Senators involved in the discussions have been in conversation since the chamber adjourned for the recess – and lawmakers and staff have been meeting remotely, according to a Senate aide familiar with the negotiations.
Threading the needle on a potential deal is highly challenging, in part because border security and immigration have long been among the most contentious policy issues on Capitol Hill.
Attempting to hammer out a deal as the presidential race picks up steam adds to the challenge, especially as hardline rhetoric…
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