U.S.
House Republicans preparing bill to keep government running
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[July 25, 2014]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans
in the U.S. Congress, mindful of voter anger over past budget showdowns,
are preparing legislation to keep the government open beyond Sept. 30
when existing funding expires.
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House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said a temporary
spending bill, the kind conservatives have balked at in the past,
likely will be debated in September.
Asked how long the stopgap measure would keep the government
operating, Boehner said: "I imagine it would go to early December."
A series of individual appropriations bills are intended to fund
federal agencies, ranging from the Defense Department to the
Department of Health and Human Services, for fiscal years beginning
on Oct. 1.
But Congress regularly fails to pass all of those bills in time.
Without a so-called continuing resolution, or "CR," to keep federal
agencies in business at current spending levels, many would have to
shut down.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Jul/25/images/ads/current/charrons_bch041713.png) That is what happened last October, when Republicans refused to
extend federal spending unless President Barack Obama's healthcare
law, known as Obamacare, was either repealed or significantly
changed.
Predictably, Democrats balked at the ploy and many government
operations were closed for 16 days until Republicans relented.
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Voter anger during last year's standoff is likely to prevent
Republicans from following a similar script this year, especially
with November's congressional elections so near.
If Congress passes a bill that funds agencies until sometime in
December, lawmakers could attempt to pass a longer-term measure
after the elections.
(Reporting By Richard Cowan; Editing by Tom Brown; Editing by Doina
Chiacu and Tom Brown)
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