House passes stopgap bill, closes out fiscal year as election season begins in earnest

The U.S. House of Representatives Friday passed a measure that keeps the government funded until mid-December and provides billions to states for disaster relief, including recovery from Hurricane Ian.

The continuing resolution will be sent to President Biden's desk where he's expected to sign it hours before the federal fiscal year ends at midnight Friday.

The bill keeps all federal agencies funded at fiscal year 2022 levels and features pots of new money, including $12.3 billion for the war in Ukraine. The CR does not include any new aid for COVID-related efforts, despite White House requests.

The Senate already passed the CR Thursday.

Providing funding until Dec. 16 "gives our appropriators more time to come to a funding agreement for next year," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday during a press conference.

Bloomberg News

The CR "addresses key priorities," Pelosi said. That includes $2.5 for disaster relief in New Mexico – which in April faced the largest wildfire in its history – and $2 billion to address housing, infrastructure and economic recovery needs for disaster recovery in Puerto Rico, Florida, Alaska and other states, she said.

The measure also provides $18.8 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which allows the agency to obligate the money for disaster relief funds. "Some of that is needed right away for Ian, but more will be needed," Pelosi said.

The measure includes $1 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program and $20 million to fund Army Corps of Engineers' water and wastewater improvement projects in Jackson, Miss., which is in the midst of a drinking water crisis.

Lawmakers may return for a few days in October, but passage of the CR largely marked the close of the legislative session and official beginning of election season.

Pelosi touted the achievements of the 117^th session of Congress, saying Democrats could "look back on this session with great pride."

The stop-gap bill is needed because Congress has not yet passed any of the 12 fiscal 2023 appropriations bills. In July, the House passed six fiscal year 2023 spending bills totaling $405 billion, but that's been the only action so far.