One Down, Eleven to Go — Congress Passes Legislative Branch Bill and Keeps Goverment Operating Past Midnight

The Senate passed the conference report on the FY2010 Legislative Branch appropriations bill today, to which a one-month Continuing Resolution (CR) is attached to prevent a government shutdown at midnight tonight (Wednesday) as fiscal year 2009 ends and fiscal year 2010 begins. The “Leg Branch” bill is the first of the 12 appropriations bills to clear Congress. It funds Congress’s own operations and with the CR that is attached to it, provides funds for Executive Branch agencies whose FY2010 funding bills have not yet cleared Congress.

The House has passed the other 11 appropriations bills; the Senate has passed six including Leg Branch. Conference agreement was reached today on the Energy-Water Appropriations bill that includes the Department of Energy (DOE). Conferees zeroed a request to restart DOE’s production of plutonium-238 fuel for NASA’s robotic space science probes. Conferees are expected to complete work on the other four bills that have passed both chambers in the near future. The bill that covers NASA and NOAA funding — the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) bill (H.R. 2847) — is still waiting for action in the Senate.