Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025

Bill Number: H.R. 1968
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Economics and Public Finance
Status: Became Law
Became Law: Public Law 119-4
Latest Action: 2025-03-15: Became Public Law No: 119-4.
Last Updated: 2026-07-10T19:23:33Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

This act, titled the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, provides funding for the U.S. federal government through the end of fiscal year 2025 (September 30, 2025). It extends appropriations from fiscal year 2024 at similar levels, with targeted adjustments, to prevent a government shutdown. It also extends specific health programs, Medicare flexibilities, and other temporary authorities, while rescinding some unspent funds.

Key Provisions

The legislation is structured into three divisions:

Division A: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025

General Funding Mechanism: Continues funding for federal departments and agencies at fiscal year 2024 levels (as set in prior laws like Public Laws 118-42 and 118-47), including projects, loans, and guarantees not otherwise specified. Funds are available through September 30, 2025, with multi-year or no-year availability retained where applicable.
Department-Specific Appropriations (Titles II–XIII):
Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA: Allocates specific amounts (e.g., $1.15 billion for animal and plant health inspections; $7.6 billion for WIC nutrition program) and extends reporting programs for livestock and agriculture marketing.
Commerce, Justice, Science: Funds NOAA operations ($4.4 billion), justice programs ($2 billion for state/local law enforcement), and NASA safety ($3.1 billion), with adjustments to reduce some grants.
Defense (Title IV): Details funding for military personnel ($51.2 billion for Army), operations/maintenance ($58 billion for Army), procurement (e.g., $33.3 billion for Navy shipbuilding), R&D ($14.3 billion for Army), and health ($40.4 billion). Includes $8 billion transferable for Central and European Command operations, plus a $89 million pilot for industrial base loans.
Energy and Water: Supports Bureau of Reclamation water resources ($1.7 billion), DOE nuclear activities ($19.3 billion for weapons), and wildfire suppression reserves ($360 million for Interior; $2.4 billion for Forest Service).
Financial Services, General Government: Funds federal buildings ($9.3 billion), election security grants ($15 million), and Small Business disaster loans ($406 million, including $374 million for major disasters).
Homeland Security (Title VII): Allocates $10 billion for TSA operations, $22.5 billion for disaster relief, and $10.4 billion for Coast Guard, with rescissions of $133 million from nonrecurring funds.
Interior, Environment: Provides $1.3 billion for land management, $2.9 billion for national parks operations, $3.2 billion for EPA environmental programs, and $1.9 billion for Indian Affairs.
Labor, HHS, Education (Title IX): Funds BLS salaries ($636 million), unemployment services ($3.9 billion), NIH innovation ($127 million, reduced), and child services ($14.8 billion), with rescissions (e.g., $75 million from training programs).
Legislative Branch (Title X): Supports Senate inquiries ($189 million), House salaries ($1.9 billion), and Capitol Police ($604 million, including $15 million for recruitment).
Military Construction, VA (Title XI): Allocates $2.2 billion for Army construction, $75 billion advance for VA medical services in FY 2026, and $30.2 billion additional for veterans' compensation.
State, Foreign Operations (Title XII): Funds peacekeeping ($1.2 billion), debt restructuring ($10 million), and extends refugee admissions through 2025.
Transportation, HUD (Title XIII): Supports FAA facilities ($3.2 billion), highway programs ($340 million), HUD rental assistance ($32 billion for tenants), and community development ($3.4 billion).
General Provisions (Title I): Requires spending plans from agencies within 45 days; monthly obligation reports; retains earmark bans; allows transfers (e.g., up to 40% for Defense); designates emergency/disaster funding; extends advance appropriations for certain programs.

Division B: Health

Public Health Extenders (Title I): Extends funding through September 30, 2025, for community health centers ($2.1 billion), National Health Service Corps ($173 million), teaching health centers ($88 million), and diabetes programs ($80 million each for Type I and Indians).
Medicare (Title II): Extends low-volume hospital payments, Medicare-dependent hospital program, ambulance add-ons, quality measure funding ($14 million), outreach for low-income ($30 million per program), telehealth flexibilities (e.g., no geographic limits, audio-only allowed), hospital-at-home waivers, oral antiviral drug coverage, and work geographic index floor through October 1, 2025. Increases Medicare Improvement Fund to $1.8 billion; adjusts sequestration (10 months at 4% rate).
Human Services (Title III): Extends sexual risk avoidance education, personal responsibility education, and family-to-family health centers ($6 million) through FY 2025.
Medicaid (Title IV): Delays reductions in disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments through 2028.

Division C: Other Matters

Extends CFTC whistleblower program, drone protections for facilities, special assessments on non-profits, national cybersecurity system, and fentanyl substance scheduling through September 30, 2025.
Exempts budgetary effects from PAYGO scorecards and sequestration calculations.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Funding Adjustments: Overrides some FY 2024 restrictions (e.g., eliminates certain EPA grants, reduces NIH CURES Act funding from $407 million to $127 million, increases Defense transfer authority from $6 billion to $8 billion).
Rescissions: Permanently cancels $656 million in unspent Defense funds (e.g., aircraft procurement), $75 million in labor training, $133 million in DHS nonrecurring expenses, and $111 million in foreign debt restructuring.
Program Extensions: Pushes expiration dates from March/April 2025 to September/October 2025 for health programs (e.g., telehealth, DSH delays to 2028); extends wildfire reserves and VA benefits.
New Allocations: Adds $89 million for Defense industrial base pilot; $31 million for Armed Forces Retirement Home renovation; repurposes funds for water projects (e.g., Sites Reservoir).
Reporting and Flexibility: Requires detailed spending plans; allows reprogramming for agriculture/rural loans to match FY 2024 levels; exempts certain provisos (e.g., no sequestration for some DOE nuclear funds).

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Ensures operational continuity for 30+ agencies (e.g., Defense, HHS, DHS), avoiding disruptions in military readiness, disaster response ($22.5 billion FEMA fund), and health services. Rescissions may limit flexibility for prior-year projects.
Citizens: Maintains access to veterans' benefits ($30+ billion additional), nutrition programs (e.g., WIC), rental assistance ($32 billion), and Medicare/Medicaid supports for low-volume hospitals and telehealth, benefiting rural/low-income populations. Extends diabetes and health center funding, aiding underserved communities.
International Relations: Sustains foreign aid ($1.2 billion peacekeeping), refugee processing, and debt relief, supporting U.S. alliances; $8 billion for Central/European Commands bolsters deterrence amid global tensions.
Economy: Prevents shutdown-related economic losses (estimated $120 million/day historically); supports small businesses ($406 million loans) and infrastructure (e.g., $3.2 billion FAA), but flat funding may delay new investments.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal Agencies and Employees: Departments like Defense, VA, HHS, and DHS (e.g., 2.8 million civilian/military personnel funded).
Healthcare Providers and Patients: Community health centers, hospitals (low-volume/MDH programs), Medicare beneficiaries (telehealth expansions), and diabetes/Indian health programs.
Citizens and Vulnerable Groups: Veterans (benefits/medical care), low-income families (nutrition/rental aid), rural residents (telehealth/ambulance payments), disaster victims (FEMA funds), and Native American communities (Indian Health Service: $3.9 billion facilities/services).
Businesses and Local Governments: Agriculture/rural utilities ($478 million water/waste), small businesses (loans), states (unemployment/Medicaid), and foreign partners (aid/peacekeeping).
Congress and Oversight Bodies: Requires plans/reports to Appropriations Committees, affecting legislative oversight.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Authorizes temporary extensions without new full-year budgets, complying with the Antideficiency Act to avoid lapses; uses program instructions for quick Medicare implementation, bypassing rulemaking delays. Exempts effects from PAYGO (pay-as-you-go budgeting rules) and sequestration, reducing fiscal constraints.
Constitutional: Upholds Congress's power of the purse (Article I, Section 9) by funding executive operations; no major challenges, but earmark bans reinforce transparency rules.
Political: As a continuing resolution (CR), it maintains status quo amid partisan budget disputes, delaying policy debates (e.g., no new spending priorities). Designates funds as "emergency" to evade caps, potentially fueling deficit concerns ($1.7 trillion+ FY 2025 discretionary baseline). May set stage for FY 2026 negotiations, with advance VA funding signaling bipartisan priorities for veterans.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Cole, Tom [R-OK-4]

Recent Actions

2025-03-15: Became Public Law No: 119-4.
2025-03-15: Became Public Law No: 119-4.
2025-03-15: Signed by President.
2025-03-15: Signed by President.
2025-03-14: Presented to President.
2025-03-14: Presented to President.
2025-03-14: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
2025-03-14: Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 46. Record Vote Number: 133. (Roll call 133)
2025-03-14: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 46. Record Vote Number: 133. (Roll call 133)
2025-03-14: Cloture on the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 62 - 38. Record Vote Number: 128. (CR S1768) (Roll call 128)
2025-03-14: Cloture motion on the measure presented in Senate. (CR S1768)
2025-03-14: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1768-1772)
2025-03-14: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent. (CR S1768)
2025-03-14: Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate. (CR S1768)
2025-03-12: Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S1700)

Bill Versions

Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 — issued 2025-03-11 — PDF (102 pages)
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 — issued 2025-03-18 — PDF (39 pages)
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 — issued 2025-03-10 — PDF (99 pages)
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 — issued 2025-03-11 — PDF (100 pages)