Where is Congress with Appropriations?

[Silverbird]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/where...fid=mostViewed

[PessOptimist]

I was asked today by someone about the "budget" and me getting paid in the future. That means US government appropriations must have been in the news somewhere. Why would a person even think about that otherwise?

I gave a "what me worry" answer and said I was good for at least another week.

I decided to go to the thomas.loc.gov site to check it out. Turns out I was right. The latest CR expires Friday.

It was tacked on to the end of H.R. 2112: Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 as Division D. The original title of the bill as introduced was: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012. There is a whole lot of stuff in the bill about the original subject but tacking on the CR likely assured it would be passed. I love how our legislative branch works. Particularly the "in the nature of a substitute" where they sometimes strike the whole text and put in unrelated text while keeping the original title and the oft used "purpose will be available when the amendment is proposed for consideration".

I decided that the MB members need to be reminded of the fact we don't have an appropriated budget once again. The question was where to post it. I searched the MB and found this thread. I like this thread because of the title and if you click on the OP's link, it has been updated with the last action on the subject. At least I think it has. The only way to be sure is to read all the congressional records since 11/18 which you are welcome to do at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/coll...ctionCode=CREC.

I recommend checking out that site as you will find out what our legislators do day to day. Then you will understand why they have no time to worry about funding continuing operations of the US government.

[James48843]

You can always find the current status of all appropriations bills here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app12.html

Most agencies are good through December 18. Some are funded all the way through Sept 30 of next year.

The Senate has been the blocking body. Republicans refuse to let appropriations bills come to the floor. As you know, it takes 60 votes to invoke cloture and bring a bill to a vote. The republicans in the Senate have blocked nearly every bill from coming to a vote.

Here is the list of Senate votes: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app12.html

[PessOptimist]

You can always find the current status of all appropriations bills here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app12.html

Most agencies are good through December 18. Some are funded all the way through Sept 30 of next year.

The Senate has been the blocking body. Republicans refuse to let appropriations bills come to the floor. As you know, it takes 60 votes to invoke cloture and bring a bill to a vote. The republicans in the Senate have blocked nearly every bill from coming to a vote.

Here is the list of Senate votes: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app12.html

Yup. That's where I was referring to when I wrote thomas.loc.gov. It is pretty up to date but not always.

I have read the December 18th date in a couple of places. According to the loc site:

DIVISION D--FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS, 2012

• Sec. 101. The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-36) is amended by striking the date specified in section 106(3) and inserting `December 16, 2011'.

Not nit-picking, just wondering which is right.

The agencies funded for the year are Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug, Commerce, Justice, Science, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and their " Related Agencies" I'm not sure where the FDA funding leaves the rest of Health and Human Services. TBD I guess.

That only leaves the departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, State, Treasury, Veterans Affairs and hundreds of other smaller agencies. No problem right? There is a week left and it is only December.

[James48843]

Dec 16th is correct. My bad.

Defense passed the Senate on Dec 1.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LI...n=1&vote=00218



But the President has said he intends to veto it, because it contains the provisions allowing U.S. citizens to be held indefinitely without trial. Now they have to reconcile with the House version, and are doing so in secret meetings. If they come to agreement, both House and Senate will have to revote before it is sent to the President.

http://www.procon.org/headline.php?headlineID=005047

I hope he does veto. It's wrong to violate the U.S. Constitution.