Reid: Amendments to government funding bill will be allowed

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday that he would allow votes on amendments to the Senate continuing resolution bill that is necessary to fund the government through the fiscal year.

“The measure passed last week by the House of Representatives is not perfect," Reid said on the Senate floor Monday. “Senators will wish to offer amendments. And we are working out a process to consider those amendments."

Reid said he hasn’t worked out a deal with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on just how many amendments will be offered or the process, but Reid said the C.R. needed to be passed by the end of the week. Government funding is set to expire on March 27.

“This legislation will be a test of the Senate’s goodwill,” Reid said. “America’s economy is poised to grow and expand. And the last thing it needs is another manufactured crisis – such as a government shutdown – to derail its progress.”

The House passed a $984 billion bill that kept the sequester cuts in place. The bill would fund the government through Sept. 30. 

The Senate bill maintains the House’s spending level, but adds three appropriations bills and gives the Obama administration greater flexibility to carry out this year’s $85 billion spending cut from sequestration.

Reid said he was proud of the work of Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and ranking member Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) for their bipartisan effort.

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