Note: This story has been updated.
The U.S. House returned to a full legislative agenda this week with government funding at the top of lawmakers’ to-do list.
House members returned to Washington Monday (Aug. 31) after a five-week August recess with Republicans eager to pass their legislative priorities ahead of the midterms. On Tuesday, they passed a short-term funding bill to keep the government open through Dec. 11 and prevent a shutdown — as well as push the next budget battle past the November elections.
The federal government was set to run out of money Oct. 1 unless Congress passes a short-term funding patch before the deadline.
Lawmakers were eager to avoid a costly and politically fraught shutdown before the midterms. U.S. Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., both supported the measure before the recess.
The House previously passed a Republican-led continuing resolution along mostly party lines, including Alabama’s delegation, before it left town. But the Senate-led bill represented a compromise between the two parties to fund the government and is more likely to become law.
Read more.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Alex Angle and originally published by the Alabama Daily News.
Share with others: