Senate Passes Bill to Provide Short-Term Funding
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski today released the following statement after the Senate passed H.Res 289 to provide short-term government funding.
“I am pleased that my colleagues and I have passed a resolution to fund the government through January 19th. It is important that we avoided a shutdown for our nation, for the countless Alaskans that are federal employees, and for all the individuals who rely on government services.
“While there are topics that I believe this resolution is lacking, we cannot overlook the laundry list of good work it does include. From a PAYGO waiver for the tax reconciliation bill, which means no cuts to Medicaid or resource receipts, to $2.85 billion for CHIP funding so that parents can rest easy about the healthcare of their children, to additional funding to bolster our military defense capabilities against ballistic missiles including those at Ft. Greeley. I am proud that this bill invests so much in our healthcare and military efforts, among others. This is only a short-term extension to fund the government, but I look forward to reaching a long-term solution that addresses the provisions that were not included. And I believe we can get there.
“It is disheartening though that many issues that I have been a long-standing advocate for were not included,” said Senator Murkowski. “Healthcare has continuously been a focus of mine and I stand by my statements that Alexander/Murray and Collins/Nelson are crucial, bipartisan solutions in addressing our most pressing needs when it comes to our current healthcare system. And as a co-sponsor of both the BRIDGE Act and the DREAM Act, I firmly hold the principle that those who were brought to this country by their parents, raised here, educated here, lived here, and dreamed here, should be welcomed to stay here and should have the right to work and find a path to citizenship. We need to address and pass a solution for dreamers.”
Bill Highlights:
$2.85 billion for CHIP funding, authorized from Oct. 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018.
- $2.1 billion for the VA Choice Fund.
- $550 million for community health center funding, for the 1st and 2nd quarters of FY18.
- $11,761,000 for the IHS, for an additional amount for the costs of staffing and operating newly constructed facilities.
- Extends funding for the Special Diabetes Program
- PAYGO waiver for the tax reconciliation bill.
- Extends FISA authorization for the duration of the CR.
- $770 million to accelerate procurement and construction of an additional missile field with $200 million specifically allotted to construct 20 additional Ground-Based Interceptors in Fort Greely, Alaska.
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