WASHINGTON – The Senate on Wednesday passed a continuing resolution that contains would keep the federal government running through Dec. 9, preventing a government shutdown on Oct. 1.
The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 2017 (H.R. 5325), the vehicle for the continuing resolution, passed the Senate by a vote of 72-26 and will now move to the House for consideration.
The passage of the stopgap funding bill came one day after Senate Democrats had blocked it by voting 45-55, short of the 60 votes needed for passage.
Democrats had said they would block any CR that did include any aid for Flint Mich., which has faced lead contamination in its drinking water supply for more than two years.
Republicans initially resisted the idea of providing federal funding to Flint, which they felt should be managed at the local level.
But House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., reached an agreement late Tuesday to include $170 million in federal aid to Flint in the Water Resources Development Act of 2016.
Reid said Wednesday that he was "pleased to say to the people of Flint that they will get some help soon."
A House aide said late Wednesday afternoon there is "a chance" the CR will be voted on Wednesday night.
Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., said he is pleased the Flint aid would now be considered, and will not stop until it makes it to the president's desk.
"I commend the bipartisan agreement we reached to bring much-needed Flint aid up for a vote in the House," Kildee said. "Today's vote is a step forward to ensuring that Flint families get the resources they need to recover from this crisis."
