The end of the fiscal year is nigh, and guess what? The Senate hasn’t passed a single appropriations bill for fiscal year 2011, which begins October 1. In fact, neither the House nor the Senate even passed a formal budget resolution this year.
To date, the House has passed two of the 12 appropriations bills for 2011. The remaining 10 have yet to be reported out of committee. And while the Senate has not passed a single spending bill, they have reported 11 of the 12 out of committee.
So, something has to be done. Enter the all-too-common stopgap spending bill, or continuing resolution (CR).
The Senate Voted 83-15 today to move forward on a CR, which will maintain funding levels at the current fiscal 2010 levels until Congress can move forward with the appropriations process.
Republicans and Democrats alike seem set to expedite the measure with few additions. You know how the kids start to get antsy right before recess. Debate will continue tomorrow, we’ll let you know how things turn out.
Details of the bill, released later today by Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye, are after the jump…
Summary of Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON, DC – Below are highlights of the continuing resolution (CR) to allow continued government operations through December 3, 2010:
Ongoing programs: Under the CR, funding will continue at FY 2010 enacted levels for most programs. In total, the CR will provide funding at a rate $9 billion below the FY 2010 level.
Extended Authorizations and Other Actions: The CR extends authorizations or allows for continuous normal operations through December 3, 2010 for certain programs that would otherwise expire or be severely disrupted, including:
• Allows the Federal Air Marshals to maintain the existing FY 2010 4th quarter coverage level for international and domestic flights.
• Allows the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to maintain the level of Customs and Border Protection personnel in place in the final quarter of FY 2010.
• Extends the authority for the Department of Defense to execute the Commanders Emergency Response Program which is an essential tool for military commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Extends the application period for retroactive stop loss benefits throughout the duration of the continuing resolution.
• Extends for one year the existing authority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to retain its authority to regulate chemical facilities that present high levels of risk.
• Extends for one year existing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authority to provide technical and financial assistance to States and localities for pre-disaster hazard mitigation activities.
• Provides for the continuation of a program included under the Child Nutrition Act which will allow for school feeding activities where year round activities occur.
• Provides an additional $25 million to the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (formerly the Minerals Management Service) for increased oil rig inspections in the Gulf of Mexico. The increase in funding is fully offset with a $25 million rescission of unobligated balances.
• Allows the National Cord Blood Inventory contracts to continue at their current level through the duration of the CR.
• Extends the TANF block grant and Child Care Entitlement to States program at their current level through the duration of the CR.
• Reduces the amount available for BRAC 2005 from over $7 billion in FY 2010 to a rate equal to $2.35 billion, the FY 2011 request.
• Adjusts the current rate for operations for the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program in order to include in the rate for operations the $965 million that was advanced for Israel, Egypt and Jordan in the FY 2009 Supplemental.
• Continues the rate of operations for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund (PCCF) at $700 million. This section also continues the terms and conditions included in the FY 2009 and FY 2010 Supplementals.
• Reduces the amount available for Census programs from over $7 billion in FY 2010 to a rate equal to $964 million annually, the same as the amount recommended for FY 2011.
• Permits the District of Columbia to spend funds under its local budget beginning on and after the October 1, 2010 start of fiscal year.
• Allows the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, which is responsible for coordinating the federal policy relating to homelessness, to continue operating.
• Extends the current HECM loan limits for high cost areas through FY 2011.
• Extends the current FHA loan limits for high cost areas through FY 2011.
• Extends the current GSE loan limits for high cost areas through FY 2011.
• Provides $193,400 for the survivors of Robert C. Byrd, the late Senator from West Virginia.
