Senate Preps Short-Term Spending Bill to Avert Impending Government Shutdown
By Hugh T. Ferguson, NASFAA Senior Staff Reporter
This week the Senate unveiled a continuing resolution that will keep the government funded through December 16 and offer Congress additional time to work through spending levels for fiscal year 2023 following the midterm elections.
The spending bill staves off debate on a number of legislative sticking points — related to agencies outside of the Department of Education’s (ED) discretion — that have held up the annual spending process and will be reconsidered during Congress’ lame duck session this November.
With this additional time, negotiators will need to reconcile the differences between the Senate’s drafted spending plan that contains $87.3 billion in base discretionary funding for ED, with the House’s $86.7 billion package for the agency.
Both spending plans for fiscal year 2023 contain a $500 increase to the maximum Pell Grant award, which would boost the 2023-24 maximum award to $7,395.
For more information on the federal budget process, see NASFAA’s Federal Budget and Appropriations page and NASFAA’s budget FAQs.
The continuing resolution is currently making its way through a number of procedural hurdles in the Senate, with a final vote on passage possible for Thursday. The bill would then need to be cleared by the House and signed by President Joe Biden before the September 30 deadline.
The White House has said that it would enact the Senate’s continuing resolution and urged both chambers to pass the bill.
Stay tuned to Today’s News as we keep tabs on the legislative landscape in the week’s ahead.
Publication Date: 9/29/2022
You must be logged in to comment on this page.