Senate rejects House-passed CR to fund government through Nov. 21

The Senate Sept. 19 failed to adopt a continuing resolution by a 44-48 vote that would have funded the government through Nov. 21. The CR was passed by the House earlier in the day. Prior to the Senate vote on the House proposal, an alternative short-term funding bill led by Senate Democrats also failed in a 47-45 vote. The Senate needs 60 votes to pass a funding bill. Congress has until Sept. 30 to pass a funding proposal to avert a government shutdown.

The House-passed bill would have extended key health care programs to Nov. 21 that are currently set to expire Sept. 30. They included the Medicare-dependent Hospital and low-volume adjustment programs, telehealth and hospital-at-home flexibilities, and the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. The bill would have delayed Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital cuts that are set to become effective Oct. 1.