January 25, 2007

Congress to Take up Stopgap Funding Measure Next Week

Congressional Quarterly reports that the House will consider next Wednesday, January 31, a stopgap spending measure to fund most government programs through September 30, 2007 at FY 2006 levels. The measure may be debated in the Senate as early as next Thursday or Friday.

Appropriations Chairmen Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.) and Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.V.) announced late in 2006 that they would use a year-long continuing resolution to fund federal agencies and programs through FY 2007 (other than Defense and Homeland Security, which were the only FY 2007 spending bills enacted last year). They also said they would cut all earmarks, which has complicated negotiations.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who chairs the appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over Labor-HHS-Education, is confident that some programs under this spending measure will likely receive additional funds over FY 2006 levels. Sen. Harkin said that extra funding above FY 2006 levels would be used to fund such programs as college Pell Grants, the National Institutes of Health, and community health centers.

The current continuing resolution expires February 15, 2007.

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