Funding the Gov’t Until May 5 So Congress Can Negotiate a Broader Spending Deal (H. Joint Res. 99)

What is H. Joint Res. 99?

(Updated June 19, 2019)

This bill was enacted on April 28, 2017

This resolution would fund the federal government at current levels from April 29, when funding runs out under the current authorization, until May 5, 2017 to give Congress an extra week to reach a final spending agreement. It also specifically reauthorizes funding for coal miners’ healthcare benefits during this period, which had been a point of contention when Congress passed its last continuing resolution in December to fund the government.

As a joint resolution, this legislation could be considered by both chambers of Congress and signed into law by the president.

Argument in favor

Budget negotiations take time, and lawmakers haven’t quite gotten a final deal done yet. This continuing resolution responsibly funds the government for another week so Congress can get this bill passed.

Argument opposed

Congress isn’t going to accomplish anything of substance on the budget with another week of negotiations, so they should either let the government shutdown or pass a longer term funding bill before it does.

Impact

The entire federal government.

Cost of H. Joint Res. 99

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) introduced this bill to prevent a government shutdown by giving Congress another week to reach a long-term spending deal:

“This Continuing Resolution will continue to keep the government open and operating as normal for the next several days, in order to finalize legislation to fund the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year. I am optimistic that a final funding package will be completed soon. It is time that this essential work is completed so that critical programs and activities – including national defense – are properly and adequately funded for the year.”

Among the sticking points in negotiations over a longer-term spending bill are permanently funding a healthcare program for coal miners, and federal subsidies under Obamacare to health insurance companies aimed at preventing premium hikes of more than 15 percent for low-income families.

Media:

• House Appropriations Committee Press Release
  
• Reuters
  
• NPR
  
• USA Today
  
• Vox