With a March 14 deadline looming large -amidst significant partisan disagreements on top line spending for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) appropriations- Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) announced this week that a full year continuing resolution (CR) “was likely.” President Trump also signaled his support for a funding patch, freeing up Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senator Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to negotiate. While a deal that would run through September 30 seems doable, hardline conservatives are pushing to codify some of the “most egregious” examples of alleged waste found by Elon Musk’s team in recent personnel firings and contract cancellations made across federal agencies. The White House has already floated a list of examples; however, the idea is a hard ‘no’ for Democrats and when pressed about incorporating controversial cuts as part of the deal, Chair Collins said, “I don’t see how that could work.” Both Thune and Johnson have indicated that finalizing an FY2025 deal is the absolute priority next week as President Trump prepares to make his first address as the 47th President to Congress on March 4 at 9:00 PM ET.