both chambers of Congress passed yet another FY2018 continuing resolution this evening, the House by a vote of 231-188 and the Senate by a vote of 66-32. This most recent CR would keep the government running through 19 January, and has been sent to the president for his signature, just a day before the current CR is set to expire.
To avoid a Christmas shutdown, the the House released the text of a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) that funds the federal government through January 19, 2018 late Wednesday night. Conservatives and defense hawks wanted a full Pentagon budget adopted, the measure was certain to be rejected in the Senate, where Democrats were poised to block it. However, the House leadership concession to defense hawks the CR would add $4 billion for missile defense and $700 million to repair damaged Navy ships.
The measure also would include some temporary extensions for the Children’s Health Insurance Program until March 31, the National Flood Insurance Program, and an extension of the Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act until January 19.
Of final note, the CR includes language to waive the $125 billion in statutory automatic “PAYGO” cuts that would otherwise be triggered because of the $1.5 trillion cost of the tax bill which Congress passed earlier this week.
The House and Senate have adjourned until the new year.
Meanwhile, with the PAYGO provisions waived, the White House will have a signing ceremony for the tax bill passed earlier this week.