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Illustration by Scott Hilling/ENR, authentic parts by Getty Photos
Congress has prevented a partial shutdown of federal businesses, approving a short-term spending invoice that continues the circulation of funds to departments and businesses.
However the reprieve is non permanent—the persevering with decision, or CR, solely extends via Dec. 20. View the textual content of the CR right here.
The ultimate congressional actions on the CR got here on Sept. 25 when the Home permitted the measure by a 341-82 vote and passage within the Senate in a 78-18 tally.
President Joe Biden signed the CR on Sept. 26, 4 days earlier than the 2024 fiscal yr expires. Lacking the deadline would have resulted in closing some federal businesses.
Home Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) mentioned in a Sept. 24 flooring assertion that “governance by persevering with decision shouldn’t be excellent.”
Cole mentioned he would like to cross full-year spending payments via the common technique of subcommittee, committee and flooring votes. However with the deadline looming, he mentioned that “We’re out of time.”
Cole added, “We can not afford a shutdown, which might be vastly damaging to our nationwide safety, to essential authorities packages and to the American individuals. To not point out the big value of presidency shutdowns.”
The White Home Workplace of Administration and Price range mentioned in a Sept. 24 assertion that it supported the CR. However OMB additionally mentioned it that it’s “deeply upset” about a number of omissions within the stopgap.
Amongst them are funds for catastrophe reduction and help to proceed the Small Enterprise Administration’s catastrophe mortgage program.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) mentioned in a Sept. 25 flooring assertion “Our work doesn’t finish right here. My hope is that now we will get moving into earnest on hammering out bipartisan, full-year funding payments—together with offering long-overdue catastrophe help.”
Lawmakers face powerful debates within the subsequent a number of months over spending for the remainder of fiscal 2025. The comparatively temporary CR and the approaching vacation season might put extra strain on legislators to strike a deal earlier than the CR expires.
Furthermore, the result of the spending image is predicted to be formed in a post-election lame duck session by the outcomes of the Nov. 5 elections, for each Homes of Congress and the White Home.
The textual content of this text was up to date on 9/27/2024 to replicate President Biden’s signing of the measure.
Tom Ichniowski has been writing in regards to the federal authorities as ENR’s Washington Bureau Chief for the reason that George H.W. Bush administration, and he has coated at the least 5 main freeway payments. A acknowledged professional on authorities coverage on infrastructure and regulation, Tom can also be a Baltimore native and Orioles fan who grew up rooting for Brooks and Frank Robinson. He’s a graduate of Columbia School and Columbia’s graduate college of journalism, the place he as soon as used “unrelentless” in a headline.
