U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the Chair of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, on Wednesday announced his support for a stopgap spending bill that would keep the federal government open through mid-November and allow the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate more time to pass year-long appropriations measures.
Members of the Appropriations Committee and Senate Democratic and Republican leaders have been working together on a bipartisan measure that could clear the U.S. Senate. They have kept House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) apprised of the negotiations and gotten input from the House.
The bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) would do the following:
• Extend government funding through November 17.
• Extend funding to help communities struck by disaster and continue critical support for Ukraine.
• Prevent vital health statutes from lapsing to ensure funding for community health centers and teaching health centers does not expire.
• Extends the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) authorities through the end of the calendar year.
• Ensures federal wildland firefighters will not see a pay cut.
• Ensures the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will continue to be able to serve the nearly 7 million women and children who rely on it.
After the legislative text of the agreement was unveiled, Senator Reed issued the following statement:
“I commend Appropriations Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins for working out this continuing resolution. It will buy Congress more time to reach agreement and complete its work on year-long appropriations bills.
“Republicans face a choice. They can allow extremists in their party to shut down the federal government, or not. Shutdowns are costly, wasteful, avoidable. The clock is ticking. Responsible Republicans should join Democrats in taking action to pass this bill and keep the government working for all Americans.
“Just saying ‘no’ isn’t a policy. House Republican leaders are playing these partisan games at the expense of taxpayers and our economy. It needs to stop and Congress needs to fulfill its obligations to fund the government.”
Senator Reed urged Republicans to help pass the stopgap CR and work with Democrats on a bipartisan omnibus spending package that is completed ahead of the new November 17, 2023 deadline.
An initial procedural vote on the bill is set to take place this evening.
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