Appropriations- On Thursday, Congress approved H. J. Res. 143, a continuing resolution to fund the federal government through December 22, thus preventing a partial government shutdown. The measure is necessary since seven spending bills remain outstanding: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Interior and Environment; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.
The legislation also extends through December 21 authorizations for the Violence Against Women Act and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; the president signed the measure into law on December 7.
Violence Against Women- On Thursday, the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, S. 1942, Savanna’s Act. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee passed the legislation on November 14 and held a hearing on the measure in October 2017 (see The Source, 10/27/17). The bill would improve protocols to address missing and murdered Indians, particularly the high rates of missing and murdered Native women.
Health- Also on Thursday, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, H.R. 315, the Improving Access to Maternity Care Act. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved the bill on November 29 (see The Source, 11/30/18). The House passed the legislation in January 2017 (see The Source, 1/13/17).
