Making further additional continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.
Latest action. Referred to the Committee on appropriationA law permitting federal agencies to spend money. The Constitution forbids any spending without one, Congress's 'power of the purse'.Read the full definition (opens a new tab), and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdictionA court's legal authority to hear a case: over the subject matter, the parties, and the territory.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) of the committee concerned.
DIVISION A--FURTHER ADDITIONAL CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018
Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018
This division amends the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 to provide continuing FY2018 appropriations to most federal agencies through January 19, 2018 (December 22, 2017, under current law). It prevents a partial government shutdown that would otherwise occur when the existing continuing resolution expires because the FY2018 appropriations bills have not been enacted.
It also exempts security spending from sequestration (automatic spending cuts) for FY2018 and delays the sequestration for nonsecurity spending.
DIVISION B--DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS
This division provides appropriations to the Department of Defense for the remainder of FY2018, including emergency appropriations for missile defense programs.
DIVISION C--CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS ACT
Continuing Community Health And Medical Professional Programs to Improve Our Nation, Increase National Gains, and Help Ensure Access for Little Ones, Toddlers, and Hopeful Youth by Keeping Insurance Delivery Stable Act of 2017 or the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act
This division extends the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through FY2022 and also extends several other public health programs.
The division also increases Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through FY2019 and modifies the Medicaid payment reductions for disproportionate-share hospitals (which receive additional payment under Medicaid for treating a large share of low-income patients).
In addition, the bill:
modifies the grace period for paying health insurance premiums under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,
reduces appropriations for the Prevention and Public Health Fund,
alters third-party liability rules under Medicaid and CHIP,
modifies the treatment of lottery winnings and other lump-sum income under Medicaid income eligibility rules, and
eliminates Medicare premium subsidies for beneficiaries with annual incomes exceeding $500,000.
DIVISION D--OTHER MATTERS
This division provides funding for the Veterans Choice Program, which allows veterans to receive health care from providers outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on December 13, 2017. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this joint resolution could become law.
The record's latest action, on December 13, 2017: Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
What is a joint resolution, exactly?
A joint resolution travels the same road as a bill: both chambers pass it and the President signs it, and it then has the same force as any other law. The label is largely a matter of custom, often used for narrow or time-limited measures.
One exception matters. A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution is not sent to the President at all. It goes to the states, and three quarters of them have to ratify it.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 115th Congress (2017-18), 442 of the 11,421 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 3.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
RODNEY FRELINGHUYSEN (R-NJ) introduced it on December 13, 2017. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on December 13, 2017, 3193 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 3193 days ago, on December 13, 2017.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 115th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2019 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers