The continuing resolution, passed by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, allows the government to run through March 18 by enacting $4 billion in spending cuts. The current continuing resolution expires on Friday.
House GOP leaders who drafted the measure did not include their plans to defund healthcare reform, but defunding is expected be a hot issue in the longer-term plan, threatening a government shutdown when the new continuing resolution runs out.
The lion’s share of healthcare cuts in the two-week measure come from three earmark accounts within the Health Resources and Services Administration, totaling $397 million in cuts.
Read the AHA News Now report on federal spending.
Red more coverage of the stopgap measure to avert a government shutdown:
House Approves Stop-Gap Spending Bill, Includes Cuts to Some Health Programs
GOP Proposal to Avert Federal Shutdown Wouldn’t Defund Reform
