The Senate approved an FY13 continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government from October 1 through March 27, 2013 on September 22. The CR passed by a vote of 62-30. All but one of those voting to oppose the CR were Republicans. The measure, H. J. Res. 117, was approved by the House of Representatives on September 13 by a vote of 329-91 (see Memo, 9/14). It is expected that President Obama will sign the measure into law.

The final CR does not include any funding “anomalies,” changes to funding levels in order to continue providing the same level of service as in FY12. Advocates had urged that certain accounts, such as the Public Housing Operating Fund, receive funding at a level higher than provided in FY12 to compensate for intended one-time reductions in the account in the prior fiscal year.

Congress has gone on recess until after the November 6 election without addressing sequestration, which will result in across-the-board cuts to federal defense and non-defense discretionary programs starting next year unless Congress acts to undo them. NLIHC has joined more than 1,500 organizations in signing a letter organized by the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) urging that Congress avert sequestration through a balanced approach to deficit reduction, which includes increases in revenues. HUD estimates that if sequestration takes effect, approximately 250,000 rental assistance vouchers will be lost and an additional 100,000 people will remain homeless instead of housed in FY13 (see Memo, 9/14).

Members of Congress continued to pursue legislative changes to sequestration. On September 13, Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO) introduced H.R. 6389, the Sequestration Prevention Act of 2012. The measure would replace the across-the-board sequestration cuts to defense programs with further reductions to non-defense discretionary programs.

Further, Representative Charles Bass (R-NH) introduced H.R. 6438 on September 19. The measure would subject the pay of the President, Vice President, and Members of Congress to sequestration cuts in FY13. The measure has 34 cosponsors as of this writing.

Click here to view the text of H.R. 6389.

Click here to view the text of H.R. 6438.

Click here to view a copy of the CHN letter.