FY18 Appropriations Update

When the House and Senate reconvene after the August recess, the House is scheduled to be in session 12 days and the Senate 17 days before the end of the fiscal year. Senators of both parties have acknowledged the need for passing another stopgap continuing resolution (CR) when they return in September. The CR would likely extend current funding levels into the new fiscal year.

The House passed a $790B “securitybus” appropriations bill before leaving for the August recess. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) executed a procedural move on that bill that sets it up for potential action on the Senate floor. However, the bill violates the 2011 Budget Control Act and would trigger sequestration. Senate Appropriations Ranking Democrat Patrick Leahy (D-VT) said the four-bill minibus would not get the 60 votes needed for passage on the floor. A new bipartisan budget deal may be needed to raise spending limits in order for any FY18 appropriations bills to have a chance of passing in the Senate.

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) suggested an appropriations bill plan for after the August recess in which three minibus bills with four titles each would be brought to the Senate floor under a structured rule. Lankford said he had discussed the idea with leadership.

Status of FY18 Appropriations Spending Bills