Technology Slice Blog

Continuing Resolution Passes - A continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through March 2011 is expected to pass this evening in both the Senate and the House. Had Congress not acted, the current continuing resolution would have expired at midnight, forcing a government shutdown, a result elected officials did not want to happen. On this issue compromise of some form was inevitable. Last week Republicans opposed a 1,924-page omnibus measure that would have provided $19 billion in additional funding over 2010 levels, in a move led by Tea Party supporter Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). DeMint invoked a formality rarely used in the Senate, demanding that the entire bill be read out by the Senate clerk. Continuing Resolution Passes DeMint’s protest was predicated on his opposition to the $8 billion in earmarks contained in the omnibus. He was supported by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and eight other Republicans who withdrew their support of the omnibus, according...

Continuing Resolution Approved - Congress decided to keep the government open for business. On Thursday, the day before a temporary federal budget was set to expire, the Senate passed another Band-Aid measure that will fund federal operations for another 15 days. The House approved the so-called continuing resolution by a vote of 239 to 178 on Wednesday. The measure moved to President Obama, who was expected to sign it. The extension is the latest in a series of continuing resolutions approved by lawmakers after Congress failed to pass a new budget at the start of the fiscal year. Without a formal budget, Congress typically ends up passing continuing resolutions for a month or two at a time. That essentially prevents Washington from shutting down, while lawmakers work on finalizing the new budget. The fallout of not passing a continuing resolution would be no small matter, and would likely lead to furloughs of federal employees and sharply reduced governmental activities, ...