12.19.18

Legislation Introduced to Fund Government Through February 8

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) today released the following statement regarding his support for a continuing resolution (CR) to avert a government shutdown by funding outstanding FY2019 appropriations bills at current levels:

 

“Having already funded 75 percent of the government on time with broad bipartisan support, I am disappointed that we could not come to an agreement on the remaining 25 percent.  However, I am committed to keeping the government open and will take the next six weeks to continue working toward that end.  The President is right that we must secure our borders.  I hope that this continuing resolution will provide us the time to work out our differences in a thoughtful manner and reach a bipartisan consensus on important national priorities.”

 

Filed Wednesday, the new CR would fund federal government operations through February 8, 2019, and would continue the same extensions as the previous CR, which is set to expire at midnight Friday, December 21, 2018.  The measure would continue funding for the seven FY2019 appropriations bills not yet enacted, which includes Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.  Following passage in the Senate and the House, the resolution will be sent to the President’s desk for his signature. 

 

Temporary extensions included in previous CRs of expiring authorities:

  • The National Flood Insurance Program, for the duration of the CR.
  • The Violence Against Women Act, for the duration of the CR.
  • The Pesticide Registration Improvement Act, for the duration of the CR.
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, for the duration of the CR.
  • Immigration extensions (EB-5, E-Verify, Conrad 30 program for international medical school graduates, Special Immigrant Religious Workers program, and H2B returning worker authority for DHS), for the duration of the CR.

 

New temporary extensions of expiring authorities:

  • The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Act, for the duration of the CR.
  • Two expiring provisions of the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act, for duration of the CR.
  • Medicaid Money-Follows-the-Person and Spousal Impoverishment, through March 31, with offsets.
  • Statutory PAYGO scorecard balance debited to following year.

 

 

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