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Continuing Resolution
On a 370-58 vote, the House passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) (H.R. 2638) on Wednesday, September 24, 2008, to fund the federal government through March 6, 2009. Set at over $600 billion, the CR funds most federal programs at FY08 levels, allocates money to three FY09 appropriations bills and provides $22.9 billion for disaster relief. It includes the following spending bills -- Defense, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security, and extends activities authorized under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act (TAA). The bill increases Pell Grant funding to $18 billion, $2.5 billion more than the previous level.
With none of the 12 FY 09 appropriations bills completed, the CR is required to keep the government running and provide Congress the time to reach agreement on the remaining bills. President Bush has threatened to veto any spending measures that exceed his FY09 budget requests.
The Senate is expected to hold a procedural vote on the CR on Saturday, September 27. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) predicts that the Senate will pass the CR with strong support equal to that in the House. Passage of the CR, however, depends on Republican cooperation.
Click here to access a copy of the House-passed CR.
Please visit the following site for a summary of the CR (H.R. 2638) as passed by the House http://www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0259
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