Alternative CR Offered by Graves

Yesterday Rep. Graves (R,GA) introduced HJ Res 62, the Stability,  Security, and Fairness Resolution of 2013, as an alternative to the Continuing Resolution that was offered earlier this week by the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. According. The GAO has not yet printed an official copy of this Alternative Continuing Resolution (ACR), but Rep. Graves has made a draft copy available on his web site. The bill would continue funding through September 30, 2014 {§106}.

According to his press release, the Graves ACR includes “the Defense [HR 2397], Homeland Security [HR 2217] and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bills for FY2014 as passed by the House” {see §111}. This would mean that the CFATS program would be extended through October 4^th 2014 at current funding levels, with $20,000,000 withheld pending reports to the House Appropriations Committee.

The main part of this bill that makes could make this a viable alternative is the fact that it defunds the Obama healthcare rules until 2015 {§114}. The main sticking point delaying the consideration of the ‘official’ CR is the conservative opposition to the inclusion of funds in the CR for ‘Obamacare’. A one year defunding is a compromise of sorts. This may make this passable in the House, but it is not clear that it would pass muster in the Senate. I suspect that the Senate would remove §114 before they passed this bill.

It will be interesting to see which version, CR or ACR, goes to the House Appropriations Committee next week.