Hill Scrambles to Avoid Government Shutdown - September 27, 2011

With the federal fiscal year ending on Sept. 30, Congress has only until the end of the week to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government running. On Friday, Sept. 23, the House of Representatives passed a CR funding the government through Nov. 18. The Senate rejected that CR – Democrats objected to cuts that would offset the cost of emergency spending for disaster relief – but later passed an amended version. With the House on recess, the Senate then passed another, short-term CR on Sept. 26, which would fund the government through Oct. 4. The House is expected to pass this short-term CR by unanimous consent, as most House members are away. Next week, the House will debate, and most likely pass, the Senate-amended CR that would fund the government until mid-November.

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction met once last week for a hearing on tax reform and is expected to meet again next week. They must vote on any recommended budget savings by Nov. 23.