House Passes More Than $630B Continuing Resolution

The House on Wednesday voted 370-58 to approve a more than $630 billion continuing resolution (HR 2638) that would fund at current levels the budgets of most Cabinet departments and federal agencies until March 6, 2009, the New York Times reports (Hulse/Pear, New York Times, 9/25). The CR also includes the fiscal year 2009 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations bill and two other FY 2009 spending bills (Taylor, AP/Houston Chronicle, 9/24).

The $118.9 billion Military Construction-VA appropriations bill would provide $72.9 billion in discretionary spending, a $9 billion increase from FY 2008 and about $3.6 billion more than President Bush requested. Under the legislation, VA would receive $47.6 billion in discretionary spending, a $4.5 billion increase from FY 2008 and $2.8 billion more than Bush requested.

The Veterans Health Administration would receive $41 billion, a $4.1 billion increase from FY 2008 and $1.8 billion more than Bush requested. The $41 billion for VHA includes $1.6 billion for next-generation prosthetics, a $250 million increase from FY 2008 and $116 million more than Bush requested, and $510 million for trauma, mental health and other studies that seek to improve the quality of life for injured and aging veterans (Johnson, CQ Today, 9/24).

The Senate this week likely will pass the CR, which Bush has indicated he will sign, according to House Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey (D-Wis.). The new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, and Bush has not signed any of the 12 annual appropriations bills. (Sanchez, CongressDaily, 9/25). According to the Times, enactment of the CR might "eliminate the need for Congress to return after Nov. 4 for a post-election, lame-duck session" (New York Times, 9/25).

FDA
The Alliance for a Stronger FDA has called for a $325 million to $2.04 billion increase in the budget for FDA for FY 2009, CQ HealthBeat reports. According to CQ HealthBeat, Congress likely will fulfill the request. Under the CR, FDA would receive $1.7 billion, as well as $150 million in emergency funds for salaries and expenses.

Alliance President Wayne Pine in a press release said, "Funding via continuing resolution is often at the level of the prior year's funding. For the FDA, this would be a huge setback at a time when already enacted funding increases are starting to have an effect." He added, "Everybody knows that the FDA needs more money, but there is a risk that the CR will not reflect this. The American people will lose if that happens" (Jha, CQ HealthBeat, 9/24).