Freedom First Society

Issue: H.R. 6617, Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act.  Question:  On Passage of the Bill (3/5 vote required).

Result:  Passed in Senate, 65 to 27, 8 not voting.  (Passed by the House, Roll Call 39, 2-8-22).  Became Public Law No. 117-86 (signed by the President, 2-18-22).  GOP and Democrats scored. 

Freedom First Society:  Extends unconstitutional spending until March 11 without any plans for roll back. Instead, Congress is looking toward a huge unconstitutional omnibus.

We give blue check marks to the 27 GOP senators who voted against this measure, which was unanimously supported by the Democrats.

We have assigned (good vote) to the Nays and (bad vote) to the Yeas. (P = voted present; ? = not voting; blank = not listed on roll call.)

Congressional Research Services Summary:\
Shown Here:
Passed House (02/08/2022)

Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act

This bill provides continuing FY2022 appropriations for federal agencies and extends several expiring authorities.

Specifically, the bill provides continuing FY2022 appropriations to federal agencies through the earlier of March 11, 2022, or the enactment of the applicable appropriations act.

It is known as a continuing resolution (CR) and prevents a government shutdown that would otherwise occur if the FY2022 appropriations bills have not been enacted when the existing CR expires on February 18, 2022.

The CR funds most programs and activities at the FY2021 levels with several exceptions that provide funding flexibility or additional appropriations for various programs. For example, the CR includes provisions that address

  • the President’s authority to draw down defense articles and services to respond to unforeseen emergencies,
  • procurement of the Columbia-class submarine,
  • the Department of Defense’s response to the contamination of drinking water near the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii, and
  • the Department of the Interior’s implementation of enterprise cybersecurity safeguards.

The bill also extends several expiring authorities, including

  • the authority for the Department of Health and Human Services to make certain appointments for the National Disaster Medical System,
  • the special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 on nonindigent people or entities convicted of certain criminal offenses (e.g., sexual abuse and trafficking),
  • the temporary scheduling order issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration to place fentanyl-related substances in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, and
  • the current Medicaid federal matching rate (also known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage or FMAP) for certain territories.

Freedom Society Analysis:  Fiscal year 2021 ended on September 30th.  Fiscal year 2021 appropriations included massive unconstitutional programs and spending.  No representative, respecting his oath to obey the Constitution, should vote to extend such spending, unless a serious plan to begin rolling back such spending was imminent (which it was not). This is the third such transgression, extending FY 2021 level of spending until March 11, 2022 (unless appropriation enacted earlier, which they will not be).

We would like to post some comments here from the recorded debate, but there don’t appear to be any that are germane.  All time was taken in discussing failed amendments dealing with extraneous subjects such as vaccine mandates.  Apparently, CRs are business as usual and not worthy of comment, even though 27 senators voted Nay.

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