Serine
The 119th U.S. Congress is once again falling behind in passing appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year 2026, continuing a nearly three-decade trend of delays.
Under regular order, both chambers of Congress would need to pass 12 separate appropriations bills, reconcile them, and approve them individually.
The last time this process was completed on schedule was in 1996 for FY 1997.
Rep. Stephanie Bice Discusses House Progress
Representative Stephanie Bice (R-OK5), who serves as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provided updates on House efforts:
- Spending Cuts: Some areas, particularly HUD, are seeing proposed reductions, but Bice emphasized that reforms are intended to streamline HUD operations and ensure aid reaches those most in need.
- Bill Progress: Bice confirmed that five appropriations bills have already passed out of committee, and more are expected to follow. The goal is to pass all 12 appropriations bills through the full committee and House floor.
“We don’t want to rely on another continuing resolution (CR) if it can be avoided,” Bice said, adding that collaboration with the Senate will be crucial, especially since 60 votes are required to pass appropriations there.
Sen. James Lankford Predicts Continuing Resolution
Senator James Lankford (R-OK) offered a more skeptical view, noting that with only six legislative weeks remaining, passing all 12 bills on time is “not going to happen.”
- Lankford said the Senate Appropriations Committee has only advanced three or four bills, with plans to group less controversial bills together for quicker passage.
- He criticized past leadership, pointing out that in 2024, Senator Chuck Schumer failed to bring 11 out of 12 approved committee bills to the floor.
“Let’s get bills to the floor, debate them, and do as much of the regular process as possible,” Lankford stated. However, he acknowledged the likelihood of a continuing resolution extending into December.
As the FY 2026 deadline looms, Oklahoma lawmakers are split on the likelihood of completing the appropriations process on time.
While Rep. Bice remains optimistic, Sen. Lankford sees a continuing resolution as inevitable. Both stress the need for transparent debate and a return to regular order, but time is quickly running out for Congress to avoid another federal funding extension.