US President Bush Signs $630B Continuing Resolution

US President George W. Bush delivers remarks during a meeting with representatives of American businesses on the Economic Rescue Package with full disagreement by the representatives, on 2 October 2008; in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

2 October 2008

WASHINGTON-President Bush on Tuesday signed into law a more than $630 billion continuing resolution (HR 2638) that would fund at current levels the budgets of most Cabinet departments and federal agencies until March 6, 2009, CongressDaily reports (CongressDaily, 10/1).

The bill, which the House passed last week and the Senate approved on Saturday, also includes the $73 billion fiscal year 2009 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations bill and two other FY 2009 spending bills (AP/Houston Chronicle, 10/1).

The new fiscal year began on Oct. 1, and Bush had not received any of the 12 annual appropriations bills from Congress (CongressDaily, 10/1).

Bush said, "I am disappointed that the Congress passed a long-term continuing resolution," rather than the individual appropriations bills. He added, "There is much work to be done, and the Congress should not adjourn for the year without finishing important business on spending, taxes, and free trade agreements" (Higa, CQ Today, 9/30).