Second Stopgap Spending Measure Likely to Run Through Mid-December
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer said Friday he expects the House to consider a stand-alone stopgap funding measure next week to keep the government operating past Oct. 31. The government is running under temporary funding legislation known as a continuing resolution (CR). Hoyer did not say how long the next CR would last but Republicans are speculating it will be through mid-December.
Lawmakers are continuing to work on appropriations bills for fiscal 2010 which began Oct. 1. The current temporary funding legislation known as a continuing resolution (CR) runs out Oct. 31.
There had been discussions about including a new CR in the final version of the fiscal 2010 Interior-Environment appropriations bill. But Hoyer D-Md. said Friday he expects the CR to be considered as a separate bill.
I think it would be individually" he said.
House Democrats are unlikely to allow amendments to the CR but bringing it to the floor as an individual piece of legislation would allow Republicans to offer a motion to recommit with instructions. That parliamentary procedure essentially would allow the GOP one chance to amend the measure.
A stand-alone CR also would be open to amendment in the Senate if it is considered on its own instead of part of a conference report.
The CR the government is operating under was included in the Legislative Branch spending law enacted Oct. 1.
Much of the government is being funded at fiscal 2009 spending levels while Congress continues to try to finish all 12 of the fiscal 2010 spending bills.
