CONTINUING RESOLUTION
Since returning from August Recess, there were several issues delaying a final agreement:
- Funding Planned Parenthood clinics in Puerto Rico as part the fight against Zika
- Temporarily exempting pesticide spraying needed to control mosquitoes from Clean Water Act permits
- Emergency aid funds for Louisiana flood victims and for repairs to the contaminated water system in Flint, Michigan
- Restoring full power to the Export-Import Bank
However, the CR passed the House and Senate and the Federal Government will be funded through the November elections. At which time, Congress will return to Washington to pass another CR to fund the government. EANGUS staff speculate that the second CR or series of omnibus bills will likely fund the Federal Government until Tax Day on April 15. The new President will deliver the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Request to Capitol Hill around on or about April 15.
What we know about the current CR:
- It is slated to last ten weeks (i.e. December 9, 2016)
- No new program starts permitted
- No servicemember pay increases will go into effect
- SECDEF Carter expressed concern to Senate Armed Services Committee stating that it is about where the dollars are located, “for example, the CR that goes past December would undermine our plan to quadruple our European Reassurance Initiative.”
- $1.067 trillion spending legislation would provide full fiscal year funding for the Military Construction and Veterans Administration programs