Venable partner John Cooney was quoted in an April 27, 2017, Federal Times article on negotiations between the White House and Congress to avoid a government shutdown. Congress is expected to extend budget negotiations for another week with a short-term continuing resolution in hopes of reaching a deal to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year. To help secure a funding agreement, President Donald Trump has backed off two major budget priorities, funding for a border wall and cuts to Obamacare, but has signaled he will pursue both in budget negotiations later this year.
Cooney said the current round of negotiations serve as an early test of the White House's bargaining skills before the main event of fiscal 2018 negotiations. "The administration and the two houses of Congress are in the process of establishing what their priorities are for the appropriations process," he said. "I like to think of this as Spring Training, it's like a real game, but everyone understands that the real issues remained to be resolved come playoff time in October."