House to Consider Continuing Resolution This Week Extending Funding for Federal Programs Until After November Elections
Jul 20, 2026
By Kim Johnson, NLIHC Senior Policy Director
The House is expected to consider a continuing resolution (CR) this week that would extend funding for federal programs and services until December 4. While funding for the current federal fiscal year does not run out until October 1, Congress will not be able to negotiate, draft, and finalize all 12 spending bills before the new fiscal year begins, and lawmakers are eager to avoid a shutdown in the run up to the midterm elections in November.
A CR temporarily extends funding for federal programs at previously approved levels and is used to give lawmakers more time to negotiate and pass final spending bills for the upcoming fiscal year. While Democrats in the House seem open to moving a CR, Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) noted she and other Democrats are waiting for the White House to share a list of “anomalies,” programs that would require a short-term funding boost in the event of a CR in order to maintain operations, before considering a CR. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) also confirmed his chamber is drafting a CR.
Final FY27 Spending Bills Expected After November Elections
With limited floor time before November, a long list of priorities, and ongoing disagreements in the Senate Appropriations Committee over fiscal year (FY) 27 spending, Congress is not expected to finalize their FY27 spending bills until after the midterm elections, at the earliest.
The Senate Appropriations Committee last week postponed their planned review of several FY27 spending bills following the death of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and the continued absence of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), both of whom serve on the committee. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) have been locked in a stalemate over topline spending levels for federal programs, with Chair Collins seeking a drastic increase in defense spending, and Vice Chair Murray pushing for a more equitable spending increase between defense and non-defense programs. It is not clear when the committee might release their Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) bill, responsible for funding HUD’s vital affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs.
Meanwhile, the House has continued their work on the FY27 appropriations process, with three bills passing out of the chamber last week, although a floor vote on the House’s FY27 THUD spending bill has not yet been scheduled. The House’s THUD bill for FY27 would cut funding for HUD’s programs by over 8 percent from the previous fiscal year, which would have a dramatic impact on the communities, families, and individuals who rely on HUD funding to help with affordable housing construction and preservation, rental assistance, homelessness services, and to meet other important needs.
Senate May Consider Proposal for Automatic CR
The Senate may also soon consider a bill from Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) that would create an automatic CR to extend funding at the prior year’s level when Congress is unable to finalize their appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year. While the purported objective of this bill is to avoid government shutdowns, which carry significant costs to communities, families, and individuals, automatic CRs would significantly reduce pressure on Congress to reach an agreement on full-year spending bills and would cede more control over the annual appropriations process to the executive branch.
An automatic CR increases the potential for a year-long CR, which would lock in the previous year’s funding for the new fiscal year. Annual funding increases are vital to ensuring HUD rental and homelessness assistance programs continue serving the millions of families, people with disabilities, veterans, older adults, low-wage workers, and others who rely on HUD programs to help keep a roof over their heads. Because the cost of rent increases every year, programs must receive increased funding every year to maintain assistance for current households; even flat funding acts as a cut, reducing the number of people served. At current funding levels, only one in four households who qualifies for any form of rental assistance receives it, leaving the majority of otherwise qualified households to struggle to afford the cost of housing.
Tell Congress to Expand – Not Cut – Federal Investments in Affordable Housing and Homelessness Assistance Programs!
At a time when a record number of renters are housing cost-burdened and families around the country are struggling to afford necessities like housing, food, and medical care, Congress should be working to expand—not cut—funding for programs that help people make ends meet.
Advocates can use NLIHC’s toolkits and resources to take action on the FY27 spending bill and urge federal lawmakers to increase investments in HUD programs, including NLIHC’s top priorities:
- Providing at least $45.6 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) programs, which would be enough to ensure all current TBRA contracts are renewed, and that the more than 40,000 households still served by an Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) continue to receive rental assistance.
Investing at least $5.1 billion in HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG) program and including language in the final FY27 spending bill protecting funding for Continuum of Care (CoC) programs so they are not destabilized by potential changes from the administration.
Fully funding the Public Housing Operating Fund at the full, formula-determined need, plus $598 million to address the cumulative shortfall in Public Housing operations reported in FY25, and providing increased funding for the Public Housing Capital Fund to begin addressing the capital needs backlog in Public Housing.
Investing in accessible, affordable homes for older adults and people with disabilities by fully renewing all existing Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) contracts and Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACs) and expanding funding for the Section 202 Housing for the Elderly and Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities programs.
Providing at least $15 million for HUD’s Eviction Protection Grant Program (EPGP), which provides communities with grants to establish right to counsel and other programs that help people avoid eviction and remain housed.
At least maintaining funding of $1.1 billion for the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) program and increasing funding for the IHBG-Competitive program to $150 million, targeted to Tribal communities with the most urgent housing needs.
Establishing guardrails to ensure the administration releases appropriated funding to communities and does not withhold, redirect, limit, or otherwise rescind congressionally approved funding.
Advocates can take action today by:
- Emailing or calling members’ offices to tell them about the importance of affordable housing, homelessness, and community development resources to you, your family, your community, or your work. You can use NLIHC’s Take Action page to look up your member offices or call/send an email directly!
Sharing stories of those directly impacted by homelessness and housing instability. Storytelling adds emotional weight to your message and can help lawmakers see how their policy decisions impact actual people. Learn about how to tell compelling stories with this resource.
Organizations can also join CHCDF’s sign on letter calling for the highest possible funding for HUD and USDA affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs in any final FY27 spending bills. Read the letter and sign your organization on here.
Visit NLIHC’s Advocacy Hub for more information and resources that can help you take action and help protect the affordable housing programs people rely on.