Congress has passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through December 9, avoiding a shutdown when the new fiscal year begins October 1.
Passage of the measure, which is expected to be quickly signed by the president, follows weeks of disagreements and debates between the two parties and the two chambers on the parameters of the stopgap CR, and last-minute, bipartisan negotiations between Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Ryan and Pelosi crafted a compromise over what was seen as the last major sticking point for the legislation, funding to address Flint’s drinking water contamination crisis. $170 million for the Michigan city will be included in the separate Water Resources Development Act which Republicans have pledged to finalize after the election.
The CR also includes a $1.1 billion emergency aid package to halt the spread of the Zika virus, $500 million each for flood-stricken regions in Louisiana, West Virginia, and Maryland, and a full year of funding for military and veterans’ programs. Lawmakers will have to address funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2017 for all other federal programs during a lame duck session of Congress, expected to begin November 14.
