Floor Action:
Appropriations– On September 18, the Senate passed, 93-7, the conference report for H.R. 6157, a minibus package containing the FY2019 Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies spending bills. The measure also contains a continuing resolution to fund the government and a provision to extend the Violence Against Women Act (P.L. 113-4) through December 7; the current authorization for VAWA expires on September 30.
The House approved an earlier version of the Defense spending bill (H.R. 6157) on June 28; the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the bill (S. 3159) on June 28 (see The Source, 6/29/18). The House Appropriations Committee passed its version of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies spending bill (H.R. 6470) on July 11, while the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version (S. 3158) on June 28 (see The Source, 7/13/18 and 6/29/18, respectively).
Congress cleared a minibus package that contains the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies; Legislative Branch; and Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies spending bills on September 13, sending the bill to the president (see The Source, 9/14/18). However, work on seven spending bills remains outstanding: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (see The Source, 5/25/18); Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (see The Source, 6/15/18); Financial Services and General Government (see The Source, 6/22/18); Homeland Security; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (see The Source, 6/22/18); and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (see The Source, 6/8/18). The continuing resolution would extend federal appropriations for the departments and agencies funded by those seven bills beyond the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
Health– On September 17, the Senate approved, 99-1, H.R. 6, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act. The legislation contains provisions to address the needs of pregnant and postpartum women and infants with substance use disorder.
Miscellaneous– On September 17, the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, S. Res. 630, a resolution celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Women’s Congressional Staff Association.
