Should Congress Extend Gov’t Funding Until February 18th to Avoid a Shutdown? (H.R. 6119)

What is H.R. 6119?

(Updated February 5, 2022)

This bill was enacted on December 3, 2021

This bill — the Further Extending Government Funding Act — would extend government funding which is set to expire on December 3, 2021, at currently-appropriated levels until February 18, 2022. It would extend a variety of expiring programs through February 18th, in addition to providing $7 billion in appropriations to support Afghan evacuees.

Argument in favor

Congress needs more time to reach a bipartisan compromise on appropriations for the rest of fiscal year 2022 and provide additional relief for efforts to help Afghan evacuees. Lawmakers should enact this continuing resolution to prevent a potentially damaging government shutdown.

Argument opposed

Congress needs to get its act together and reach a deal on full-year appropriations for fiscal year 2022, which began more than two months ago. Another short-term stopgap bill is unacceptable, so lawmakers should focus on a full-year funding bill even if it results in a shutdown.

Impact

The federal government; and Afghan evacuees.

Cost of H.R. 6119

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced this bill to extend funding for the federal government through February 18, 2022, and avoid a shutdown when funding expires on December 3rd:

“For months, Republicans have refused to negotiate on government funding and, in fact, have not even presented an offer of their own. Because Democrats take responsibility for the needs of American families, I have introduced the Further Extending Government Funding Act. It continues current funding and policy with only minimal changes, creating incentives for both sides to negotiate. While I wish the February 18 end date were earlier, this agreement allows the appropriations process to move forward toward a final funding agreement which addresses the needs of the American people. Instead of short-term funding patches like this, working families, small businesses, veterans, and our military need the certainty that comes with passing an omnibus. Republicans must join us for bipartisan, bicameral negotiations to resolve our differences and keep government working for the people.”

House Rules Committee Ranking Member Tom Cole (R-OK) offered the following remarks about the stopgap funding bill on the House floor ahead of debate on the package: 

“I’ve often said that government funding is the most fundamental responsibility of Congress. Unfortunately, we are nowhere close to a full-year appropriations funding deal. We are no closer to an agreement today than the last time we passed a continuing resolution in September. And the reality is that the reason we are having to consider another continuing resolution today is because of the Majority’s insistence on focusing on partisan priorities rather than on the critical business of governing the nation. For months, the Majority’s focus has not been anywhere near where it should have been. Instead of reaching a full-year deal on government funding or even a top-line agreement on funding levels, the Majority has insisted on working on other, partisan matters. Since passage of the last stop-gap funding measure, House Democrats have focused solely on their massive reconciliation bill. Month after month focused on enshrining partisan policies into law. These efforts may satisfy their progressive base, but they fail the American people as a whole. The Majority currently controls the House, the Senate and the presidency, and if they can swing the votes, they can pass whatever they want into law. But with that ability also comes a grave responsibility: a responsibility to govern the country. And unfortunately, the Majority has been abandoning that responsibility.”

Media:

• House Appropriations Committee Democrats Press Release

• House Appropriations Committee Section-by-Section