November 19, 2007

Congress Adjourns With Farm Bill & Bridge Fund Still Outstanding

Some legislators left frustrated for the Thanksgiving recess after a cloture vote on the farm bill failed on Friday afternoon. Democrats fell five votes short of the 60 needed to end discussion, which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid tried to cut off after he and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell could not come to an agreement on amendments.

A failed cloture vote also left up in the air the fate of the $50 billion bridge fund that would continue military operations in Iraq. Again, Senate Democrats fell short of the 60 votes needed. But Reid sounded the death knell for the bridge fund -- unlike the farm bill, which could still come up when legislators return from recess -- and said that no money would be forthcoming this year.

This iteration of the Democrats' supplemental funding bill tied money for the war to a withdrawal timeline. Now, the Pentagon will continue to cover war costs out of its base budget, a move that officials have threatened to translate into layoffs and furloughs for Defense Department employees. Lawmakers did OK the Pentagon's $470 billion base budget before they left town.

Reid said Friday that senators will focus on FY08 appropriations bills and legislation addressing the alternative minimum tax when they return on Dec. 3.

CongressDaily (subscription) has details, as well as a full roundup of developments in the appropriations process.

Posted at 7:41 AM
Posted to: Congress, House, Senate
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