Another CR at the Ready; Bill and Melinda Gates in DC
As the healthcare debate and climate change legislation move towards center stage, House and Senate Conferees finalized the $32 billion Interior-Environment bill. The conference agreement includes another continuing resolution (CR) that will keep the federal government operating at non-emergency FY09 levels through December 18, giving Congress more time to finish the FY10 Appropriations process. So far, Congress has only passed four bills for signature by the White House, with two being signed into law. The Senate has only completed 7 of its 12 bills. The $48.7 billion FY10 State, Foreign Operations bill is one of the five remaining bills yet to be formally considered.
Yesterday, Bill and Melinda Gates were in town holding meetings with Members of Congress, policy makers and administration officials to make the case for more resources for the International Affairs Budget. They were here to praise the increases over the last eight years that have led to robust U.S. funding for critical global health priorities, including HIV/AIDS and malaria and to urge policy makers to continue to increase funding for critical global health needs and to reduce poverty. The couple gave a live video presentation “Why we are impatient optimists”, which is part of the Gates Foundation’s Living Proof Project.
