House passes stopgap funding bill, fate in Senate uncertain

Speaker of the House John Boehner arrives for the weekly House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol March 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. / Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The House this morning passed a short-term bill to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year, a measure aimed at staving off a potential government shutdown even as politicians in Washington continue bickering over what to do about the sequester, a recently-enacted package of across-the-board spending that would cut $1.2 trillion from defense and non-defense budgets over the next 10 years.

The Continuing Resolution sets funding for the rest of the year at $982 billion, which takes into account the cuts mandated under sequestration. It also includes a full-year Defense Appropriations bill, which provides $518.1 billion in non-war funding and $87.2 billion toward Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) for Defense activities related to the Global War on Terror, as well as a full-year Military Construction/Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. This portion of the CR, however, does exempt some areas from sequestration cuts - specifically with regard to funding for the Department of Defense, military construction and veterans affairs.

The bill passed in a 267-151 vote. Now it heads to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain.

• The sky isn't falling - yet - despite WH sequester message
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said this week he is "cautiously optimistic" about averting a government shutdown, but it's unclear whether he will bring the House-passed bill up for a vote. At issue is the fact that the bill exempts some defense programs from sequestration but does not provide similar relief for non-defense programs. The Senate can still amend that measure, however, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters yesterday he's "optimistic" the continuing resolution can make it through both the House and the Senate.

"There seems to be no interest on either side of having a a confrontational government shutdown scenario, and even though these things sometimes develop at the end I am optimistic that we'll get through this process in a constructive way," he said.

In a statement yesterday, the White House has said it was "deeply concerned" about the impacts of the funding bill, but said it was "looking forward to working with the Congress to refine the legislation" to address its concerns, thereby leaving the door open to passage. No veto threat was issued.

[canabe100]

Here it is again. Kick the can down the road but this time the T-Publicans only want to kick half the can.

[nearl451]

We could stand a few weeks of govt shutdown to make everyone more frangible, frankly.

I just see the same old crap tried over and over and over again.

There is no seriousness at solving any long term issue; just the same spending give-aways and tax break give aways to the same old interests.

2 weeks of true shutdown are needed badly to scare the crap out of these people.....because they just don't get it.

[whaas2]

Instead of continuing resolutions the federal government needs a budget. Our debt is out of control.

[sjc_1]

Bush had a 2008-9 budget that was passed as $1.2 trillion in deficit which became $1.42 trillion in deficit. The Republicans voted for that too.

[PourpaixPourpaix]

Yup, the Republicans love cutting spending, until it comes to their only passion in life, killing people. They blame the Democrats for overspending, but money allocated for killing people and corrupting our youth in the military doesn't count because it clearly isn't spending in their eyes. However, spending money on the military is as useless as the dead meat in uniform.

[peter_out]

President Obama should immediately direct John Kerry to contact Egypt and inform them that the $250 Million Kerry had "authorized" yesterday to be given to Egypt is hereby deferred.

When the U.S. Budget is balanced, and when 50,000,000 Americans are no longer on Food Stamps, when the unemployment rate is restored to 5% or lower, Congress then will consider sending the first penny in foreign aid to Egypt and others.

Surely Egypt, and the rest, friends of America, will understand.

[davidd5063]

Actually, aid to Egypt is part of the Isreali/Egypt peace treaty, you need to tell CONGRESS to pass a bill that allows the President to NOT send the money to Egypt you simpleton patsy. Perhaps an econonmic terroirst such as YOURSELF could have a suggestion for the House rather than constantly trying to blame Obama the filth you Fox News addicted bigotted, theiving, dog feces elected there to protect Paris Hitlon's tax breaks. You piece of disgusting, lying garbage.

[Little_Old_Lady]

I just knew we could count on Boehner and house Republicans to bounce back after obama's refusal to compromise or negotiate.

Now let's see if the dysfunctional Democrats in the Senate can function.

[davidd5063]

Little Old Theif, when the GOP garbage stops fillibustering every bill in the Senate, then you can babble about "functioning", but as long as the lying FILTH your theiving, self-serving, bigotted, entitled, worthless TAKER arse elected is protecting Paris Hiton's tax breaks and stealing from my kids, perhaps you should just eat dog feces and DIE!