With the current funding authority set to expire today, Congress continues to work to complete the budget process for fiscal year 2017. House and Senate leaders have been working to complete negotiations on the omnibus appropriations bill that would fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2017, or through September 30, 2017.
There are a number of issues that remain to be reconciled, but leaders feel optimistic that they can reach agreement and get a final bill approved. President Trump has made two major concessions to avoid a confrontation over the bill, and thus a possible government shutdown, by agreeing to funding subsidies for health care policies provided under the Affordable Care Act and not demanding funding for the border wall in this bill.
In order to give themselves the additional time needed to produce a final bill, House and Senate leaders are working to pass a one-week extension of the funding authority that would keep the government operating through May 5, 2017. The goal is to complete action on the FY 2017 appropriations process by that date.