House Fails to Pass Funding Bill, Gov't Shutdown Looms
On September 21, 2011, the House failed to pass an amended version of H.R. 2608, which would have provided further continuing appropriations for discretionary government operations. Affected government operations and services are slated to shut down after September 30, 2011 unless continuing appropriations legislation is enacted.
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(The bill was an amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 2608, which was originally approved in the House as the Small Business Program Extension and Reform Act of 2011.)
Current Government Funding Expires Sept 30
According to GOP.gov, this version of H.R. 2608 would have provided short-term appropriated funding for discretionary government operations through November 18, 2011. Under the current continuing resolution, appropriations are set to expire after September 30, 2011, the end of fiscal year 2011.
It would have continued government operations and services and allow time for Congress to continue work on the FY 2012 Appropriations bills that provide annual funding for the federal government. The measure would have provided the same funding level required under budget caps contained in the Budget Control Act and represented a 1.5 percent cut from FY 2011. Compared to FY 2010 spending levels, the CR represented a cut of $46 billion.
(The bill also included disaster relief funding (to be offset by reductions to the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program), the Burmese Freedom Act (to renew import restrictions against Burma contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003. Due to annual sunset requirements of the law, the sanctions have been renewed every year since 2003, a measure to extend the authorities of the Export-Import Bank through November 18, 2011.)
Congress Could Delay Scheduled Recess if Funding Bill Not Passed
According to sources, Congress could delay its scheduled recess for the week of September 26, 2011 in order to work on passing legislation to fund the government past September 30, 2011.