Government Funding
The government is currently operating under a continuing resolution that expires on Dec. 11 so funding the government for the remainder of the fiscal year will be high on the “to do” list when lawmakers return to Washington in mid-November. Appropriations staffers are reportedly putting together a spending bill for consideration during the coming lame duck session but since it’s a work in progress, details are sparse. So far this year, the Senate has yet to approve a single, stand-alone funding bill while the House has passed seven of its dozen bills. It took lawmakers six full weeks to resolve lingering funding issues during the waning days of the previous Congress. With other high priority items like the FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act also on the docket, many hope the process will be less contentious this go-round.