House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Hal Rogers took the first step toward keeping the US government running after Oct. 1, introducing a continuing resolution that would allow all agencies to spend at their current levels until Dec. 11. Although Rogers (R-Ky.) said the CR was “clean” and did not contain any “highly controversial provisions,” it included an extension of the Export-Import Bank, which some conservatives oppose. “A continuing resolution is necessary to keep the government functioning and avoid another shutdown,” Rogers said in a statement. But, he added, the CR “is a temporary, imperfect measure that does not reflect the changing needs of the nation or new budget priorities,” and Congress must enact line-by-line appropriations for the new fiscal year. The CR funds the government at the current year spending cap of $1.012 trillion. And it extends some functions that otherwise would terminate Sept. 30, including the Defense Department’s support for counter-drug operations, security assistance support in Iraq, and rewards for assistance in combating terrorism. It also continues State Department additional funding to counter Russian aggression against Ukraine and other former Soviet nations, additional funds for the Veterans Administration, and for the fight against the Ebola epidemic in Africa.
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…