The House on Tuesday passed a three day continuing resolution by voice vote, giving lawmakers until Saturday to reach an agreement on the pending omnibus bill. The Senate was expected to vote by unanimous consent on the stop-gap measure by Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. If approved by the Senate, the new continuing resolution will reduce the threat of another government shutdown or any other disruptions when the current spending authority runs out on Wednesday. Sen. Barbara Mikulski [D-Md.] and Rep. Hal Rogers [R-Ky.], chairs of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, released a $1.012 trillion omnibus appropriations package on Jan. 13, providing the discretionary funding necessary for the federal government to continue operating the remainder of the fiscal year. It also includes $486.9 billion for base defense activities and $85.2 billion for overseas contingency operations. If approved, the omnibus will supersede the continuing resolution. According to the HAC website, the House will consider the Fiscal 2014 omnibus legislation on Wednesday. (See also Defense Appropriations Next Hurdle)
An April 16 explosion destroyed a building at Northrop Grumman’s Innovation Systems plant in Promontory, Utah, where the company makes solid rocket motors for the U.S. government and commercial rocket companies.