Continuing resolution heads for President Obama’s desk
Despite squabbling that lasted until the last minute, the Senate passed a continuing resolution to provide funding for six more months.
The Senate on Sept. 22 passed a continuing resolution in an early-morning Saturday session, voting 62-30 to fund government activities and functions through March 27.
The CR, which must be enacted by Sept. 30, is expected to soon be signed into law by President Barack Obama, although no specific timeframe has been made available.
The six-month stopgap measure was signed in a final session before the last lawmakers remaining in Washington left to go campaign – the earliest pre-election departure by Congress from Washington since 1960.
Congress is slated to return for the lame duck session after the Nov. 6 election, although it remains unclear whether any of the issues currently in limbo – including sequestration, the farm and nutrition bill and legislation to help salvage the troubled U.S. postal service – will receive meaningful attention.
The $524 billion CR adheres to the Budget Control Act stipulations that include a government-wide $26.6 billion cut in discretionary spending from fiscal 2011 levels. It maintains a federal pay freeze through April and includes nearly $90 billion for the war in Afghanistan and other global military operations.
The House passed its version of the CR on Sept. 13.