The 217-213 vote saw all Republicans vote in favor except Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and all Democrats opposed except Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine
Thérèse Boudreaux
The Center Square
The House voted Tuesday evening to advance a Continuing Resolution that, if passed by the Senate, will fund core government services for the rest of the fiscal year and avoid a government shutdown.
The 217-213 vote saw all Republicans vote in favor except Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and all Democrats opposed except Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine. The White House endorsed the CR earlier in the day.
With federal programs set to run out of money on March 14 midnight, the long-term stopgap maintains current budgets for most federal programs until Sept. 30.
The CR does make some funding adjustments, including slashing $13 billion in non-defense spending, boosting defense spending by $6 billion, and adding $500 million to WIC nutrition program spending from fiscal year 2024 funding levels.
It also authorizes billions of dollars for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation efforts, veterans’ health care, and air traffic control safety priorities. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid spending would remain unchanged.
“The choice before us was simple: you either support keeping the government open and working for the American people – or you want a reckless government shutdown,” House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., said after the vote. “House Republicans acted to meet the nation’s fiscal deadline.”
The CR now moves on to the Senate, where at least seven Democratic votes are necessary for the measure to pass.
If the resolution passes the Senate, it will mark the third time Congress punted the deadline to pass the annual 12 comprehensive appropriations bills that provide money for federal agencies to spend on programs each year.
This report was first published by The Center Square.
-
Camas School District Legislative Advocacy Committee to host Candidate Forum
Six candidates from two federal and state districts will answer education questions at Discovery High School on Oct. 5. -
Opinion: Why lawmakers are going after your pension
Ryan Frost argues lawmakers included public pensions in the income tax law in preparation for lowering the $1 million deduction. -
Opinion: Washington has an income tax – why won’t the media call it one?
Cargill argues the media is using supporters’ preferred label “millionaires tax” instead of the legally accurate term “income tax.” -
Clark County Council raised impact fees for La Center, Hockinson, and Woodland school districts, drawing pushback from the Building Industry Association. -
WA high court tosses natural gas measure approved by voters
The WA Supreme Court struck down I-2066 in a 6-3 ruling, finding it covered four distinct subjects in violation of the single-subject rule.
