HR 933 Passed in Senate

Today the Senate adopted the alternative language for HR 933 from the Senate Appropriations Committee (S Amdt 26) by a bipartisan vote of 70-29 (1 not voting). Then, after approving a cloture motion on the full bill, an agreement was reached allowing a vote on the bill this afternoon. HR 933, Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (the new name of the bill) passed by another bipartisan vote of 72 – 26 (1 again not voting). No additional amendments were approved.

According to the House Majority Leader’s web site the bill will be considered by the House tomorrow morning (after one-hour of debate and no amendments allowed) under a unanimous consent agreement. The House will either agree to the Senate amendment (3/5 majority required under unanimous consent rules) or the bill will go to a probably very quick conference committee as an apparent agreement between the chairs of the two appropriations committees has already been reached in favor of the new language in the bill.

This bill (or short term continuing resolution) will have to pass by next Wednesday midnight to avoid a ‘government shut-down’.