House passes four-week CR extension

By Tony Bertuca / November 19, 2019 at 3:24 PM

The House has voted 231-192 to extend a stopgap continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded until Dec. 20.

The measure now advances to the Senate, where it must be passed before Thursday at midnight when the current CR expires, otherwise the federal government will shut down.

The CR would maintain FY-19 budget levels but allow new funding for the U.S. census and a 3.1% increase in military pay.

Pentagon officials have long criticized Congress for passing CRs rather than timely appropriations bills, arguing stopgap measures are wasteful and inefficient because they freeze budgets at previous-year levels and prohibit new spending on programs and production increases.

Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said a prolonged CR would put the United States at a disadvantage in competing with China.

The new CR, however, will buy Congress some time to reach an agreement on fiscal year 2020 government spending, though lawmakers remain at odds over how to address funding for President Trump's southern border wall.

Lawmakers warn that a full-year CR would badly damage national defense.

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