Congressional leaders announce six-month "continuing resolution"
On Tuesday, July 31, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced an agreement with President Obama and Speaker Boehner on a six-month continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through March. The CR will become law in lieu of individual appropriations bills for those six months. Congress is not expected to vote on the compromise before its August recess but no significant opposition is expected in either chamber. The bill will be "clean" meaning that no modifications to current spending levels will be included and will continue funding appropriations programs at the level agreed to in the Budget Control Act of 2011. This CR will ensure that there is no shutdown showdown before the election. Congress must still act to ensure that expiring health care provisions, like the Medicare Dependent Hospital designation and Low-Volume Hospital adjustment are extended. NRHA calls on all lawmakers to extend these and other vital rural health programs before their expiration. For more information on the expiring provisions, click here.