The holiday season is upon us, and Santa — presumably — is now in the stage of checking his list twice. So is Congress, as they attempt to pass a final budget bill before a new Congress takes over in the new year. Much like a Christmas list, the omnibus is usually filled with all sorts of goodies — but not everyone always gets what they want.
As we look ahead to two years of a divided — and what will likely be an increasingly acrimonious — Congress as the 2024 election approaches, the omnibus may be the last chance to limit the damage that the 118th Congress can commit. It also presents an opportunity to lock in certain good government practices that have been debated for the past two years. Three particular measures spring to mind.