When the Senate left last week for the Thanksgiving recess, the end-of-year workload was building up. The House added to it the day after senators’ departure by passing the Build Back Better plan, President Joe Biden’s climate change and economic security package. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has vowed to pass that budget reconciliation bill before the Christmas break. But there are more immediate demands when the Senate returns for work late afternoon on Monday, Nov. 29. For example, passing some measure to fund the government before the current funding measure runs out just four days later. By midnight, Dec. 3, they’ll have to pass a continuing resolution to keep the money flowing at current levels. That’s because the regular funding mechanism—the 12 appropriations bills that comprise the budget—have not been finished, despite the fact that we’re two months into fiscal year 2022. The lack of a budget is having real consequences for governance. The Biden administration has essentially imposed a hiring freeze on new personnel because they’ve having to economize, or as one official said, they’re “minimizing costs wherever possible, which includes hiring.” Read more