The last federal budget was signed into law September 2007 by President Bush. Since then the past 7 fiscal years have been funded under continuing resolution bills.
In a sane world the Republicans would have only funded Fiscal Year 2015 through April, and taken the position of waiting to see President Obama’s budget proposal for FY 2016 which is due in February. (President Obama has never met a statutorily required budget submission deadline). Alas, another year funded by CR.
Via Politico – In a big win for House Republicans and President Barack Obama, the House passed a $1 trillion-plus funding bill Thursday night that will keep the government open into next year.
The final vote, which came after a high drama day of behind the scenes arm twisting and vote counting, was 219 to 206.
The Senate passed a two-day funding bill following the House vote, avoiding a government shutdown starting at midnight Thursday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), however, warned that the “cromnibus,” as the massive spending package has come to be called on Capitol Hill, may not pass the Senate until Monday.
After a lobbying blitz by Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and other White House officials, dozens of House Democrats broke with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and backed the legislation, despite controversial provisions on Wall Street and campaign finance.
Thursday’s results were a major blow to Pelosi, who had led Democrats in hours long closed-door meeting where they bashed the bill and counted on its defeat to help her recover politically f0llowing the Democratic debacle on Election Day.
But 57 Democrats crossed the aisle to vote with 162 Republicans to help pass the measure, undermining Pelosi’s hardline stance.
In a major split with Pelosi – the second such public division in recent weeks – Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) backed the legislation. Hoyer quietly lobbied other Democratic moderates and Appropriations Committee members to line up behind the bill, and in the end, he proved to Republicans, Senate Democrats, and the White House that he could deliver the votes, at least in this case. (read more)