Hoyer Calls For Urgent Action On CR

After the House passed a short-term spending plan Friday, House Minority Whip Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said in order to move forward and talk about a compromise the Senate needs to act.

“The Senate has to act first to see what they can do over there,” Hoyer told reporters. “Then I think we’ll talk about compromise.”

Hoyer added that both chambers need to act with a sense of urgency.

“We believe, if [House Republicans] are really interested in getting this job done and figuring out what the Senate’s gonna do and are concerned about both the government staying open, but as importantly the emergency aid getting out as quickly as possible, they ought to get that bill over to the Senate now,” Hoyer said.

The bill, which would prevent a government shutdown by continuing federal funding through November 18th, passed the House with a close vote of 219-203. 

House Passes Jobs Bill, Will Resume Recess

The House today passed a $26 billion measure that will provide emergency funding to cash-strapped states. $16 billion will go toward extending Medicaid funding through November, while the other $10 billion will help states avoid laying off teachers, policemen and other first responders.

The final vote today was 247-161 with three Democrats voting against the bill and two Republicans voting for it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who called the House back into session for today’s vote, announced the tally, banged her gavel, and with that the House returned to its summer recess.

The White House announced after the vote that President Barack Obama would sign it into law later in the day…