Shortly before leaving town for summer recess, the Senate on August 8, 2026, passed its own version of a continuing resolution (CR) that would extend current government open through December 11.

The Senate’s vote follows the House passage on July 21 of a more bare-bones funding bill through December 4.

One of the key differences is that the Senate measure includes a number of the “anomalies” requested by the White House, while the House bill did not include any.

In appropriations terms, anomalies are specific exemptions or exceptions to the standard flat funding extension that allow specific agencies or programs to prevent disruptions to services. For example, of note for LeadingAge members that operate affordable senior housing communities administered through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, the CR includes provisions to ensure HUD affordable housing programs have the funding flexibility needed to continue operating effectively during the CR period.

In a positive development, the Senate CR also includes a provision blocking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from finalizing or implementing its proposed Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance, which would require federal grants to be approved by senior political appointees.  In comments filed July 9 LeadingAge raised concerns that the proposed rule could create additional uncertainty and administrative burdens for organizations that receive federal funding and undermine their ability to provide critical supports and services to the older Americans they serve.

With both the House and Senate have now departed for their August recess, further action on government funding will resume after break. Because the Senate CR differs from the House-passed version, the legislation must return to the House for another vote when lawmakers reconvene in September. While it is unlikely that this bill would have much difficulty passing the House, there is still a chance that the House could try to make additional changes if any new concerns crop up over the long August recess that lawmakers want to address in a must-pass vehicle like the CR.

With current government funding set to expire on September 30, LeadingAge will continue closely monitoring developments and advocating for funding stability for the programs our members rely on.