45-Day Stopgap Spending Bill Approved by House Committee

The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a 45-day stopgap money bill needed to keep many government agencies running past Oct. 1 because the regular spending bills have not been passed.

On a voice vote, the committee easily approved the measure, which calls for the agencies to be funded at the level of House-passed money bills or at last year’s level, whichever is lower. The bill now goes to the full House.

‘Holding Action’

“This is a holding action that does the minimum of what we have to do,” committee Chairman Jamie L. Whitten (D-Miss.) said.

The stopgap measure expires on Nov. 14, and committee members expect that a second gap-plugging bill will be needed if some appropriations bills are still outstanding.

The House has approved eight of 13 government money bills this year and debated another one Thursday. The Senate has approved only two spending bills.

Rep. Silvio O. Conte of Massachusetts, ranking Republican on the panel, said that he would have preferred a 30-day bill rather than the 45-day bill “to keep our feet to the fire.” But he said he is pleased that the measure was kept relatively free of extraneous amendments.

Lawmakers generally try to attach pet projects to catchall bills, called continuing resolutions. Committee members acknowledged that some attempts might be made to “load up” the bill on the floor.

But Conte said it is much more likely that the second catchall bill in November will be the vehicle for a “Christmas tree” of amendments because that will be one of the last bills to be passed before Congress adjourns for the year.