President Trump signed a continuing resolution funding the government through Sept. 30, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown. The crucial vote came in the Senate when 10 Democrats join with Republicans in approving the measure as sent over from the House. While most programs will be funded at FY 2024 levels, the legislation calls for cuts of $15 billion from current funding levels for discretionary non-Defense programs and increases defense spending by about $6 billion over current budgets — including billions for deportations, veterans’ health care and the military. Highway program levels were approved at the amount authorized for FY 2025 increasing funding by $1.2 billion over FY 24.
Democrats opposed the measure due to the non-defense cuts, but also because Republicans refused to include language limiting President and Elon Musk’s ability to continue downsizing the federal bureaucracy. This week’s action marks a rare instance when Congress has resorted to a full-year stopgap measure that keeps program funding mostly at last year’s levels without any policy directives. The CR tries to address this issue for the Pentagon by allowing general transfer authority of $8 billion, so defense officials can address military priorities at their discretion. Some nondefense programs have targeted increases for programs ranging from low-income housing to immigration enforcement. Billions of dollars in earmarked funds for members’ home states and districts were cut including transportation projects.
Construction industry groups and AASHTO sent a letter pointing out that the year-long CR at current levels is equivalent to a $1.2 billion cut in federal highway funding and a $500 million cut in transit funding from previously authorized amounts. Farm-state Republicans helped kill an amendment in the House endorsing cuts to USAID which is used to purchase surplus produce from US farmers for international food programs.