Following the Senate’s passage of the CR, the White House issued a Statement of Administrative Policy (SAP) in support of the CR. While the SAP does express concerns and desires for what is or should have been included, the White House does express support for the overall legislation.
Category: Legislation
Senate Passes 10-Week Continuing Resolution
Today the Senate passed a 10-week continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through December 9. In addition, the CR also provides $500 million for flood relief in Louisiana and surrounding areas, year-long appropriations for military construction and veterans programs, and $1.1 billion for efforts to mediate the spread of the Zika virus. The House must take action on the CR by Friday in order to avoid a government shutdown, as the federal fiscal year ends on September 30.
Previously, Senate Democrats blocked the measure because it did not contain funding to help Flint, Michigan, repair its lead-tainted water supply. However, House and Senate leaders have negotiated an agreement, and the House will amend its version of the Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) to provide funding for Flint to mediate its water emergency.
Senate GOP Releases CR
After scheduling but not voting to debate the Continuing Resolution (CR) measure on Tuesday, the Senate Republicans finally unveiled the measure today and voted to proceed today. In a bit of political maneuvering, the Senate just adopted by voice vote the motion to proceed and consider the underlying vehicle for the nine week CR (HR 5325, the FY 2017 Military Construction bill). Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) then offered a substitute as well as a cloture motion, amid a rising tide of disagreement among Republicans and Democrats. Senators will have four days to review the text of the Republican-written CR.
Senate negotiators continue to seek an agreement on a stopgap funding bill that would also include a Zika response and full FY 2017 funding for military construction and veterans but negotiations between Senate Republicans an Democrats have been and continue to be contentious.
Republicans insist that the CR is “clean” or free of many of the riders that have bogged down negotiations thus far, such as Senator Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) efforts to prevent the US from turning control of certain internet properties to the UN. That said, the measure would still include emergency funding for flood relief in Louisiana, as well as West Virginia and Maryland and includes Zika funding.
In releasing the bill, Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)said on the floor that Democrats will oppose the Republican’s substitute, the Republican majority’s first public text of a continuing resolution filed in the Senate.
Despite having text, this process is still a long way from being finished.
- Continuing Resolution Legislation
- Continuing Resolution Section-by-Section Summary
- Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Summary
- Zika Research, Treatment, and Control Funding Summary
Senate Approves Budget Deal, Sends to President to Sign
Just after 3:00am Eastern, the Senate approved the two-year budget deal that the House agreed to on Wednesday without changes. With the deal headed to Obama’s desk — where he’s expected to sign it — lawmakers will now turn their attention to passing either 12 individual spending bills or one large omnibus bill.
House Committee Moves on Student Loan Fix
Today, the House Education and the Workforce Committee marked up and two measures on to improve college costs and data transparency. The committee modestly amended and approved HR 1911, the Smarter Solutions for Students Act by a vote of 24-13, which ran largely along party lines. The amended HR 1911 would peg interest rates on all federal student loans, except Perkins loans, to the 10-year Treasury note rate plus 2.5 percentage points for undergraduate loans with a cap of 8.5 percent and plus 4.5 percentage points for graduate loans with a cap of 10.5 percent. Interest rates would be calculated and reset yearly.
The committee also marked up and approved HR 1949, the Improving Postsecondary Education Data Act for Students (IPEDS Act). The legislation would create a committee under the Department of Education to conduct a study on the factors students and families want, need, and already consider when choosing a higher education institution. This committee has a year to issue recommendations to assist congressional efforts to reauthorize the Higher Education Act.
The Office of Federal Relations is closely tracking this legislation and continues to work on this issue.
For more information on HR 1911, the Smarter Solutions for Students Act.
For more information on HR 1949, the IPEDS Act.