Senators have passed the final conference report to the 2010 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act (H.R. 2918) by a vote of 62 to 38. Prior to that, members also voted to waive rule-related points of order against the measure by a vote of 61 to 39 and a budget point of order from Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) by a vote of 61 to 39.
According to a Democratic Policy Committee summary, the bill would provide “$4.656 billion for operations of the legislative branch, an increase of $155 million, or 3.5 percent, over the amounts appropriated for legislative branch agency operations in 2009.” No Republican summary was available at publish time.
In addition, House and Senate conferees attached a Continuing Resolution (CR) onto the appropriations bill which will keep the government functioning at current spending levels through October 31 of this year.
The summary notes that the following programs would be extended for one month under the CR:
* Intelligence programs and counter-drug activities;
* Guantanamo Bay restrictions;
* Stop-loss payments to U.S. troops;
* Child nutrition programs;
* Surface and aviation transportation programs;
* Housing programs, including the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, the Government;
* National Mortgage Association, HOPE VI, and FHA Home Equity Conversion;
* Mortgages at a slightly reduced formula;
* Flood insurance and pre-disaster mitigation programs;
* Religious worker, physician, and investor visa programs;
* E-verify;
* The Chemical Facility Security Program; and
* The Ryan White Program.
According to the AP, the CR “would patch over problems in the struggling postal service and pay for soon-to-expire highway programs for an additional month as well.”
The Postal Service could delay $4 billion in payments due next month to a health care fund for retirees. Some $5.4 billion is supposed to be paid, but officials say they don’t have enough money to make the payment.
The measure also would extend the federal highway program for one month. Congress is working on a three-month extension.
As for ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), the bill has language “saying the organization could not receive federal dollars under the stopgap measure or any prior legislation.”
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