US House Passes One-Week Government Funding Bill to Buy Time for Further Negotiations
People walk outside the U.S Capitol building in Washington, June 9, 2022. The biggest investment ever in the U.S. to fight climate change.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution to fund the government for one week in a bid to buy more time for negotiations on a longer-term appropriations bill. The continuing resolution passed by a 224-201 vote on Wednesday. The bill provides temporary funding and extends the deadline for a government shutdown from December 16 to December 23. The Senate is expected to take up the measure on Thursday. Continuing resolutions, under which the government is currently funded, continue appropriations levels from the prior year instead of approving a new budget. The continuing resolution faced opposition from House Republican leadership, who called on members to vote against the measure. “House Democrats failed to meet the fundamental duty of funding the government despite spending most of the year passing trillions in wasteful spending that has fueled inflation and driven up our debt,” House Republican Whip Steve Scalise said in a statement. “This one-week continuing resolution is an attempt to buy additional time for a massive lame-duck spending bill in which House Republicans have had no seat at the negotiating table.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has expressed confidence the upper chamber will pass the bill. A year-long omnibus spending bill could contain priorities of both parties, including further funding for Ukraine, Schumer also said. However, some Senate lawmakers have instead pushed for a continuing resolution that extends into 2023, when Republicans will take control of the House. Control of the House has shifted from one party to the other just five times since 1954, and in none of those instances did Congress pass comprehensive spending legislation in the “lame-duck” session, Senator Mike Lee said in a speech. Biden administration officials including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have called for swift passage of a full-year spending bill in order to fund new military projects and programs. Congress is also slated to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2023 during the lame-duck session. The House already passed the $850 billion bill, with the Senate now considering the legislation. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that he hopes the upper chamber can pass the NDAA this week. However, an agreement has been delayed by Democrats’ attempts to include funding unrelated to defense into the bill, McConnell said.
