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Category: 2014 UW Federal Agenda

Budget Deal Clears Procedural Hurdle

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This morning, the bipartisan Budget deal, which would roll back the sharp Sequester spending cuts,  cleared a procedural hurdle in the Senate. The vote to invoke cloture — a procedural step that requires a 2/3rds vote ends and signals an end to debate and allows the measure to be voted upon by the Senate — ensures that the agreement will be passed and sent to President Obama in the coming days.

Senators voted 67 to 33 to end debate and proceed to final passage on the budget agreement. A final vote could come as soon as Tuesday evening if Senate Republicans agree to speed things up. Otherwise, the chamber is likely to send the measure to the White House late Wednesday

Murray to Speak on Bipartisan Budget Act Before Crucial Vote

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At 9:50am ET today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) will deliver remarks on the Senate floor urging the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013.  Murray will call on members of the Senate to vote to cut off a filibuster on the bipartisan compromise she reached with House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), which passed through the House of Representatives last week by an overwhelming 332-94 majority. The cloture vote is expected shortly following her speech. You can watch Senator Murray speak live on C-SPAN 2.

Budget Deal Moves to the Senate

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Today the Senate will resume consideration of pending nominations and then turn to the budget deal on Tuesday with a vote likely by mid-week. Top appropriators are beginning negotiations on an omnibus FY2014 spending package in anticipation of the Senate clearing the $85 billion budget deal this week that would boost overall spending levels. Congress will need to approve that omnibus before January 15th to avoid another government shutdown.

But appropriators face challenges in advancing some domestic spending proposals. Appropriators are assembling a $1.012 trillion omnibus spending package that will continue fresh FY2014 dollars for most but not all federal agencies. It is possible that the most contentious measures, like Labor-HHS-Education and Interior-Environment, may be carried forward through continuing resolutions rather than be included in the omnibus in order to avoid bitter partisan debate on those topics. Defense and security spending measures including Homeland Security, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and Defense enjoy the broadest levels of support in the two chambers and are all but certain to be included in an omnibus.

The House is not in session. They will return after the New Year.

House Approves Two-Year Budget Framework

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The House passed a budget agreement today by a vote of 332-94. The two-year budget deal, crafted by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), will bring back “regular order” to the annual appropriations process that has eluded Congress for the past couple of years. Lawmakers voted 332-94 on the deal that sets a $1.012 trillion discretionary spending level for FY2014 (current fiscal year) — halfway between the $967 billion sequester level and the far-higher number Democrats were seeking. It also sets a $1.014 trillion for FY2015. It finds savings through recalculating federal workforce pensions and requiring government employees to contribute more toward retirement. With this action, the House is now in recess until after the New Year. The Senate is expected to take up the budget measure next week where is should garner plenty of support for passage.

House to Consider Budget Deal Thursday

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The House Leadership is expected to consider the Budget deal on Thursday. Although there have been small rumblings of discontent by some Republican House Members with the deal because it does allow funding over Sequester levels, the measure is expected to pass the House. The Senate will consider it soon after.