Senate Approves [New] Continuing Resolution FY 2012

Today the Senate approved HR 2055, the [New] Continuing Resolution FY 2012 by a much more nearly party-line vote of 67-32. Having said that, the bill would not have passed (a 3/5 majority was required under the unanimous consent process) were it not for the 16 Republicans that voted for the bill. It’s interesting that the Republican House needed Democrats to pass the bill because of defections. In the Senate only one Democrat (and one Independent) voted no, so the Dems needed the votes because of the closer division that body.

So we did pass the necessary FY 2012 spending bills before Christmas. Of course, in less than three weeks the FY 2013 budget process will be getting started. Of course we still need to see what was in that lengthy bill that the Senate shipped to the President; patience.