Senate Passes HR 7463 – Short Term CR

This evening the Senate took up HR 7463, the Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024, that was passed earlier today in the House. The Senate passed the bill by a bipartisan vote of 77 to 13. All but one of the ten Senators that did not vote were Republicans. The bill goes to the President who is expected to sign it tomorrow, well before the current spending deadline.

TheHill.com is reporting that:

“House GOP leadership confirmed Thursday that bill text for the first package of six bills will come out over the weekend, as top appropriators have indicated negotiators are close to wrapping up loose ends on the forthcoming minibus.”

House Passes HR 7463 – FY 2024 Short Term CR

This afternoon the House took up HR 7463, the Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024, under the suspension of the rules process. After 35 minutes of debate a recorded vote was demanded. After pausing to take care of other business, the vote was held, and the CR passed by a bipartisan vote of 320 to 99. The Republican vote was 113 to 97. The bill now heads to the Senate. It will have to be signed by the President before midnight Friday, or there will be a partial government shutdown.

Bills Introduced – 2-28-24

Yesterday, with the House and Senate in session, there were 29 bills introduced. One of those bills will receive additional attention here:

HR 7463 Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024 Granger, Kay [Rep.-R-TX-12] 

HR 7463 will move tomorrow’s deadline for four spending bills to the following Friday and move the deadline for the remaining spending bills from next Friday to March 22^nd, 2024. This is a relatively clean CR in that the only other provision has to do with changes in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program.

Mention in Passing

I would like to mention an interesting bill introduced yesterday in the Senate:

S 3819 A bill to direct the Federal Trade Commission to issue regulations to establish shrinkflation as an unfair or deceptive act or practice, and for other purposes. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [Sen.-D-PA]

While I personally find the process of reducing package size as an alternative to price increases to be a dubious business practice, as it readily becomes apparent to most consumers after the first purchase, I do not think that it rises to the level of concern that it should become a federal crime. Its negative effect on brand loyalty should be punishment enough.

Of course, I doubt that either Casey or his staff really intend for this bill to become law, but its introduction sure makes for good publicity. Maybe Congress should make such legislative efforts illegal campaign practices.