Sept. 24, 2012 – The Senate, voting 62-30, early Saturday approved a House-passed continuing resolution to keep the government funded at current levels through March 27, and the president was expected to sign the bill.
A vote on the measure was originally expected last Thursday, but partisan bickering prompted a delay. Republicans, led by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., were filibustering while insisting on a vote first on a bill to end all foreign aid to Pakistan, Libya and Egypt.
President Obama has until Oct. 1, the official start of the 2013 fiscal year, to sign the stopgap funding measure.
With both chambers not expected to return to Washington before the lame duck session following the Nov. 6 elections, credit unions will have to wait for action on a number of items they, and NAFCU, have been advocating for, including member business lending, supplemental capital, the ATM disclosure fix, and a measure that would ensure the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is required to hold sensitive information it receives from financial institutions as confidential.
NAFCU is encouraging credit union members to take advantage of the congressional recess period to visit lawmakers and discuss these and other pressing issues.