This morning, by a vote of 235-189, the House passed the Continuing Resolution (H.R. 1) to fund the federal government through September. The measure will now be sent to the Senate, which will take it up when they return from recess on Monday, Feb. 28. The bill reduces spending in FY2011 by $61 Billion dollars.
Three Republicans voted No; Flake (AZ), Campbell (CA) and Walter Jones (NC). No Democrats voted for the legislation.
House lawmakers spent 61 hours over four days debating 162 of the nearly 600 amendments filed on the 359-page measure.Some key amendments that have passed include: blocking the FCC from implementing net neutrality regulation, banning federal funds to Planned Parenthood and other amendments aimed to defund the national health-care law.
Facing a March 4th deadline, there is expectation that a stopgap bill may be required in order prevent the government from shutting down after the current CR expires. Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) has indicated that he will not accept a short-term bill without spending cuts.