Director’s Desk: March 7, 2013
Kenneth Gold | March 7, 2013
CR Update: Yesterday the House passed a six-month FY13 continuing resolution (CR) that maintains sequester level spending for the remainder of the fiscal year, but provides appropriations to Defense and Milcon-VA. The measure, HR 933, passed by a vote of 267-151, would extend the federal pay freeze but grants military personnel a 1.7 percent pay increase. It would not affect step increases, promotions, or bonuses.
The Senate, however, is moving toward voting on a package that would contain more than the two appropriations bills passed by the House. Likely candidates are said to be Homeland Security, Agriculture, and the Commerce-Justice-Science bill. If, as expected, spending in the Senate bill also remains at sequester level funding, it’s likely to pass both chambers next week, and be signed by the president well ahead of the March 27 deadline.
Meanwhile, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) is expected to introduce the FY14 budget resolution that will attempt to balance the federal budget in 10 years, with significantly more severe spending cuts than were proposed in last year’s budget proposal that sought to balance the budget in 30 years.
Categories: Director's Desk, Updates