The House approved a Continuing Resolution (H.R.3082), which is a temporary measure that will fund the federal government through March 4, 2011. Earlier the Senate passed the measure by a vote of 79 -16. It now goes to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
Earlier the House approved a food safety bill by a vote of 215 - 144, as well as the “America Competes” bill by a vote of 228 - 130, which would set policy for various federal programs in science, technology and education. These will now go to the President desk to be signed into law.
In the Senate, lawmakers are working on the U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms Treaty (START). Earlier today, the Senate defeated three amendments to the treaty by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. George LeMieux (R-FL). The amendments were aimed at increasing the number of inspections allowed, as well as the number of nuclear delivery systems defined in the treaty.