Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024, a critical bill designed to prevent a government shutdown. The bill, commonly referred to as a continuing resolution, now proceeds to the Senate for approval. It must be signed into law before midnight on November 17 to prevent any disruption in government funding.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) was among the supporters of the legislation, which passed with a vote of 336 to 95. A total of 203 Democrats and 133 Republicans voted in favor of keeping the government operational, while 93 Republicans and 2 Democrats opposed the measure.
The bill, known as H.R. 6363, is a clean, laddered continuing resolution that extends each spending bill to one of two dates. It extends FY23 spending levels until January 19 for Agriculture, Energy and Water, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilConVA), and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD). Similarly, the bill extends FY23 spending levels until February 2 for Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS), Defense, Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, Health, and Human Services (LHHS), Legislative Branch, and State and Foreign Operations (SFOps).
Division A of the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024, would continue specific appropriations and authorities contained in divisions A through N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328). Division B would extend various provisions and authorities, including programs of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture.
Commenting on the passage of the bill, Houlahan said, “We saw… that the consensus-building core of Congress is still alive and strong. When given the chance to vote on a ‘clean’ continuing resolution, the preponderance of Democrats and the majority of Republicans voted to keep our government open and put the needs of the American people ahead of partisan politics.”
Houlahan also highlighted the Democrats’ willingness to work across party lines, stating, “For the third time in as many months, the Democrats have demonstrated their capability in governing and their willingness to work across the aisle, each time by delivering more votes than the Republican majority.”
The Pennsylvania representative called for continued bipartisan cooperation, urging her colleagues to “stop playing games and wasting time with hyper-partisan, poison-pill laden appropriations bills,” and instead pass bipartisan bills consistently, not just when faced with a government shutdown.
As the bill moves to the Senate, the nation watches closely, awaiting its passage to ensure the continuation of government operations and prevent the looming threat of a shutdown.
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