After scheduling but not voting to debate the Continuing Resolution (CR) measure on Tuesday, the Senate Republicans finally unveiled the measure today and voted to proceed today. In a bit of political maneuvering, the Senate just adopted by voice vote the motion to proceed and consider the underlying vehicle for the nine week CR (HR 5325, the FY 2017 Military Construction bill). Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) then offered a substitute as well as a cloture motion, amid a rising tide of disagreement among Republicans and Democrats. Senators will have four days to review the text of the Republican-written CR.
Senate negotiators continue to seek an agreement on a stopgap funding bill that would also include a Zika response and full FY 2017 funding for military construction and veterans but negotiations between Senate Republicans an Democrats have been and continue to be contentious.
Republicans insist that the CR is “clean” or free of many of the riders that have bogged down negotiations thus far, such as Senator Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) efforts to prevent the US from turning control of certain internet properties to the UN. That said, the measure would still include emergency funding for flood relief in Louisiana, as well as West Virginia and Maryland and includes Zika funding.
In releasing the bill, Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)said on the floor that Democrats will oppose the Republican’s substitute, the Republican majority’s first public text of a continuing resolution filed in the Senate.
Despite having text, this process is still a long way from being finished.
- Continuing Resolution Legislation
- Continuing Resolution Section-by-Section Summary
- Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Summary
- Zika Research, Treatment, and Control Funding Summary