Congress Approves FY 2018 Continuing Resolution Funding Programs Through December 22

President Trump this afternoon signed into law a Continuing Resolution (CR, H.J. Res. 123) to keep the federal government funded through December 22. The House approved the measure yesterday by a margin of 235-193, and the Senate approved it hours later by a margin of 81-14. The previous FY 2018 CR would have expired at midnight tonight.

The new CR funds federal programs, including HUD and USDA affordable housing programs, at FY 2017 levels and extends the National Flood Insurance Program and the Children’s Health Insurance Program through December 22 and 31, respectively.

Congressional leadership and the Administration now are working to negotiate a new bipartisan budget agreement to set higher spending caps for defense and non-defense discretionary programs than those provided by the Budget Control Act of 2011. Once they determine those final budget caps, the Appropriations Committees will then need to decide FY 2018 program funding levels within those caps. To allow time for this work to be completed, Congress will likely need to pass another short-term CR that extends into the new year.