House Republicans, eager to avoid snatching defeat from the jaws of their tax-bill victory, passed a continuing resolution late Thursday to fund the government through January 19. The Senate is expected to vote tonight.
Here's what you need to know:
- The House also passed a separate $81 billion disaster relief bill.
- The stopgap funding measure waives automatic "PAYGO" spending cuts triggered by the GOP tax bill.
- The bill also provides $2.85 billion for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that had its funding expire at the end of September. “For a $12 billion to $14 billion program, this provides less than $3 billion for what is effectively six months,” the head of one child advocacy group told The New York Times.
- Kicking the can into next year leaves a lot of issues unresolved — and a lot of lawmakers unhappy. “The legislation will push back delicate decisions on spending, immigration, health care and national security,” The Washington Post reports.
But lawmakers are eager to head home for the holidays. “We will get it all done today, and we will depart,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said, according to the Post.
