Tick, Tock … The Congressional Clock Is Running Out

Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí was once asked about the watches in his painting “The Persistence of Memory.” Dalí replied that the soft watches were inspired by the surrealist perception of a Camembert cheese melting in the sun.

And like that Camembert melting in the sun, time is melting away on the 113th Congress. Just a few short weeks remain to take care of business. The House is scheduled to be in session 38 more days until the fiscal year ends on Oct. 1, 2014; the Senate for 51. And there is much to be done in those critical days.

Congress must wrap up 12 appropriations bills or pass a continuing resolution (CR) to prevent a government shutdown—something neither party wants in an election year. Progress on those bills has been slow, with the House having passed just three and the Senate none. Thus, it is likely that most of the 12 bills won’t pass in time, requiring some kind of extension. Furthermore, key legislation such as Workforce Investment Act reauthorization, unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed and the extension of expiring tax provisions, already overdue, tops a long list of priorities.

And whether it is funding for workforce programs or a new workforce reauthorization bill, here at Goodwill, we’re working to make sure Congress addresses these important priorities before the clock runs out.