The Beltway Buzz is a weekly update summarizing labor and employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how what’s happening in Washington, D.C., could impact your business.

Congress Spins Wheels on Funding. Another week, and still no progress on government funding. This week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 220–202 to defeat legislation that would have funded the federal government through March 28, 2025, and enacted a measure to require proof of citizenship to register to vote. This voting measure add-on was the death knell for the legislative package. Congress has until September 30, 2024, to pass funding legislation—most likely a continuing resolution that maintains current spending levels—to avoid a federal government shutdown on October 1, 2024.

Ports Strike Looming? Also expiring on September 30, 2024, is the collective bargaining agreement covering about 25,000 workers represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) at major East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. The ILA is demanding higher wages and protections against automation and is threatening to strike in the absence of an agreement. A strike would obviously have major ripple effects in the economy, particularly ahead of the holiday shopping season. Members of the business community have been sounding the alarm and encouraging the parties to come to an agreement—and these calls will grow louder as the deadline fast approaches. The situation is strangely similar to the freight...

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