FY11 Funding Update: House Appropriations Committee Releases Short-Term Continuing Resolution

Hoping to avoid a looming government shutdown, the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee on Friday released a short-term continuing resolution that will fund the government for an additional two weeks after the current CR expires on March 4.  In keeping with the theme of reduced spending, the proposed CR would cut $4 billion from current spending, mostly in the form of programs slated to be reduced or eliminated in President Obama’s FY12 budget.  The cuts also target earmarks within several agencies, but spare the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.

The House will debate the bill starting on Tuesday, and, barring any unforeseen events, will likely pass the bill quickly.  This maneuver will once again move the process to the Senate, where Democrats have signaled their willingness to accept the short-term compromise, while remaining leery of the full year CR passed by the House last week.  More to come…