In the early morning of December 21st, Congress passed a second continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government at current levels through March 14th. President Biden signed the stopgap bill shortly after receiving it from the Senate.
The CR included about $110 billion in emergency disaster relief funding, helping to replenish FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund and other critical needs in states hit hard by recent natural disasters. Despite President Biden’s request of $80 million to support AmeriCorps’ response efforts to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the CR does not designate any supplemental funding for the AmeriCorps agency.
The bill also did not include an increase to the nation’s debt ceiling, which President-elect Donald Trump had hoped for. This tees up a debt limit debate for this spring – while Congress also seeks to finalize FY25 appropriations, start the FY26 funding process, and work on legislative action to advance the new Administration’s priorities.