Temporary federal funding into March 2024 and extensions of expiring programs

§1What it does

Why this matters: A plain-English description of the bill as it was voted on, written by us from the official summary and text.

✎ Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

This bill began as a measure about electronic duck stamps for waterfowl hunters, but the Senate replaced its text with a temporary government funding measure, which both chambers passed in January 2024 and which became law.^2,3 Known as a continuing resolution, it was a stopgap that generally kept federal programs funded at their 2023 levels while the year's regular spending bills were unfinished, avoiding a shutdown when the previous stopgap ran out.² It extended funding through March 1, 2024, for agencies covered by four of the yearly spending bills (agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, energy and water, military construction and veterans affairs, and transportation and housing) and through March 8, 2024, for most other agencies.^2,3 It also extended several expiring programs into March 2024, including funding for community health centers and special diabetes programs, a delay in scheduled cuts to extra Medicaid payments for hospitals that treat many low-income patients, and federal authority to counter threats from drones.²

§2Status

§3How Congress voted

Why this matters: The official count.