House passes stopgap funding bill including highway fund extension

Senate expected to vote ahead of Sept. 30 deadline

The House of Representatives Tuesday night passed a stopgap funding measure that will keep the federal government fully operating beyond next Wednesday (Sept. 30). The measure included a one-year extension of the current federal highway bill that would have expired the same day.

The measure passed by a 359-57 vote in the House, according to a report in Roll Call. The Senate is expected to vote next week ahead of the deadline. Passage follows resolution on issues regarding funding for farmers and a school nutrition program, according to Roll Call and other media sources.

As we reported on Monday, House Democrats offered a Continuing Resolution to extend the highway fund by one year with $10.4 billion. If approved by the Senate, the extension would be a “straight” extension of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, better known as the FAST Act, meaning no increase in funding to existing programs. The proposal also would include funds needed to ensure the short-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), with a general fund transfer of $10.4 billion to the HTF, allocated for highways.

The measure passed last night would extend federal funding through Dec. 11.