Another Stopgap Funding Law Keeps Pressure on Congress - March 23, 2011

Just before the previous Continuing Resolution (CR) was set to expire, Congress passed and the President signed a short-term funding law to keep the government operating through April 8. The stopgap law, written by House Republicans, includes $6 billion in domestic discretionary funding reductions – largely earmarks. While the House has passed a full-year CR, Senate leaders have yet to agree on a long-term spending strategy. If the Senate is able to pass a bill, it would still have to be reconciled with the House bill, which includes more than $60 billion in domestic discretionary cuts this year. Staff-level negotiations are ongoing.