Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026

Bill Number: S. 2882
Origin Chamber: Senate
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Economics and Public Finance
Status: Failed Senate
Latest Action: 2025-10-09: Motion by Senator Schumer to reconsider, under the order of 10/9/2025, not having voted on the prevailing side, the vote by which the third cloture motion on the motion to proceed to S. 2882 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 557) entered in Senate.
Last Updated: 2026-06-16T16:14:35Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of S. 2882: Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026

Purpose

This bill serves as a short-term funding measure to prevent a government shutdown by providing continuing appropriations for federal departments and agencies at fiscal year (FY) 2025 levels from October 1, 2025, through October 31, 2025. It also extends various health, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans' affairs, and other programs through the same period, while making targeted adjustments to funding and authorities. The legislation maintains government operations and program continuity during a delay in enacting full FY 2026 appropriations.

Key Provisions

The bill is divided into two main parts:

Division A: Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026

General Funding (Sec. 101): Appropriates funds at FY 2025 rates for ongoing projects and activities from the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 (Public Law 119-4), excluding certain specified sections. Covers departments like Defense, Justice, Energy, Health and Human Services, and others.
Department of Defense Restrictions (Secs. 102, 104, 131, 132): Prohibits new production, increased rates, or initiation of projects not funded in FY 2025. Allows limited exceptions for completing prior-year shipbuilding (e.g., Virginia Class Submarines, up to $154 million) and the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft program (up to $199.7 million for prototyping, plus a $200 million transfer).
Duration and Flexibility (Secs. 103–110, 113): Funds are available until a full FY 2026 appropriations act is enacted, the project is defunded, or October 31, 2025, whichever comes first. Permits apportionment to avoid furloughs after reducing non-personnel expenses; limits initial high-rate distributions for grants to states or grantees.
Mandatory Programs and Entitlements (Sec. 112): Continues payments under laws like the Food and Nutrition Act at current levels through October 31, 2025, with flexibility for monthly obligations.
Targeted Increases and Adjustments:
WIC Program: $8.2 billion rate (Sec. 120).
U.S. Marshals Service: Additional $30 million each for salaries/expenses (protective operations and judicial security) and construction (courthouse upgrades), designated as emergency funding (Secs. 128–129).
Judicial Security: $28 million for Supreme Court justices' residences and $52 million for courthouse improvements, as emergency funding (Secs. 144–145).
Indian Health Service: Additional $72.3 million for services and $8.1 million for facilities staffing (Sec. 151).
Corporation for Public Broadcasting: Additional $491 million (Sec. 154).
Congressional Security: $90 million (House), $66.5 million (Senate), and $30 million (Capitol Police) for enhanced security, as emergency funding (Sec. 160).
Office of Management and Budget Inspector General: Establishes office with $20 million (Sec. 143).
Rescissions and Extensions (Secs. 117–118, 164, 167): Continues certain rescissions; extends unobligated balances for specific programs (e.g., highway infrastructure, fair housing) through September 30, 2026, exempt from apportionment rules.
Other Specifics: Extends NASA missions (Sec. 123), maintains research levels at NSF and NOAA (Secs. 124–125), renews cooperative agreements (Sec. 126), and adjusts energy and veterans' programs (Secs. 133–136, 142, 161).

Division B: Extensions and Other Matters

Health Extensions (Title I):
Public Health: Extends community health centers ($374 million), National Health Service Corps ($31 million), teaching health centers ($17 million), special diabetes programs ($27 million total), and national health security programs through October 31, 2025 (Secs. 2101–2103).
Medicare: Extends low-volume hospital payments, Medicare-dependent hospital program, ambulance add-ons, telehealth flexibilities (e.g., audio-only, mental health), and acute hospital care at home waivers through October/November 2025 (Secs. 2111–2119). Reduces Medicare Improvement Fund to $1.033 billion (Sec. 2120).
Human Services: Extends sexual risk avoidance and personal responsibility education, family-to-family health centers (Secs. 2121–2123).
Medicaid: Adjusts disproportionate share hospital allotments for Tennessee and delays reductions (Sec. 2131); extends certified community behavioral health clinics (Sec. 2132).
Other: Adds $67 million for No Surprises Act implementation; extends technical assistance for grandfamilies (Secs. 2104, 2141–2142). Repeals certain health subtitle changes from prior law (Sec. 2141); permanently extends enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, removing the 400% income cap and adjusting percentages (Sec. 2142, effective 2026).
Veterans Affairs (Title II): Extends nursing home care, transportation, supportive services ($35 million), suicide prevention grants, regional office in Philippines, educational assistance, mental health/rehabilitation, homeless programs, copayments, rural access ($100,000), adapted housing, and other authorities through October 31, 2025 (Secs. 2201–2216).
Miscellaneous Extensions (Title III): Extends Commodity Futures Trading Commission whistleblower program, Forest Service participation in conservation, Food for Peace Act, grain standards, Defense Production Act, HOV lane access for alternative fuels, TIFIA eligibility, unmanned aircraft protections, cybersecurity programs, and international development finance through October 31, 2025 (Secs. 2301–2313).
Budgetary Effects (Title IV): Exempts effects from PAYGO scorecards and sequestration; classifies as emergency to avoid budget enforcement impacts (Sec. 2401).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Temporary Extensions: Amends multiple statutes (e.g., Public Health Service Act, Social Security Act, title 38 U.S.C.) to push expiration dates from September 30, 2025, to October 31, 2025, for funding and authorities in health, Medicare, veterans, and miscellaneous areas.
Permanent Changes: Repeals subtitle B of title VII from Public Law 119-21 (health provisions); permanently extends Affordable Care Act premium tax credits without income limits (effective post-2025); amends Balanced Budget Act to treat congressional emergency designations as presidential ones (Sec. 116); eliminates subsection (d) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (Sec. 119); authorizes U.S. subscription to European Bank for Reconstruction and Development capital increase ($437 million) (Sec. 162).
Funding Adjustments: Increases specific allotments (e.g., nuclear security from $118 million to $149 million, Sec. 133); rescinds and reallocates balances for highways and fair housing (Secs. 164, 167); delays Medicare in-person mental health requirements to November 1, 2025 (Sec. 2117).
New Authorities: Establishes OMB Inspector General (Sec. 143); ratifies anticipatory obligations for emergencies (Sec. 116).

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Ensures operational continuity for federal departments (e.g., Defense, HHS, VA), avoiding disruptions like furloughs. Provides flexibility for emergencies (e.g., disaster relief, judicial security) but limits new starts, potentially constraining innovation or expansions.
Citizens: Maintains access to essential services, including healthcare (e.g., Medicare telehealth, WIC nutrition), veterans' benefits, and low-income programs (e.g., housing assistance, food aid). Permanent tax credit extension could lower healthcare costs for millions above 400% of poverty level starting in 2026. Short-term nature may create uncertainty if not followed by full appropriations.
International Relations: Minimal direct impact; extends U.S. commitments like Food for Peace aid and development finance, supporting global food security and reconstruction without major shifts.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal Agencies and Employees: Departments of Defense, Justice, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Energy, and others; benefits ~2 million civilian and military personnel by preventing shutdowns.
Healthcare Providers and Beneficiaries: Hospitals (e.g., rural/low-volume), Medicare/Medicaid recipients (~65 million), community health centers, veterans (~18 million), and low-income families (e.g., WIC serves 6.2 million).
Veterans and Military: VA programs support ~9 million enrolled veterans; DoD provisions aid shipbuilding and aircraft programs.
Congress and Judiciary: Enhanced security funding protects members and justices amid threats.
States, Localities, and Non-Profits: Grantees for health, housing, and conservation programs; states benefit from delayed Medicaid cuts.
Taxpayers and Businesses: Emergency designations shield from budget cuts; tax credit extension aids middle/upper-middle income households with insurance affordability.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Ratifies prior obligations and exempts certain funds from apportionment (31 U.S.C. §1513), streamlining spending but potentially bypassing standard oversight. Amendments to budget laws (e.g., impoundment controls) limit executive withholding of funds, enforcing congressional prerogatives. Emergency designations under concurrent resolutions avoid Balanced Budget Act sequestration (2 U.S.C. §901 et seq.), treating short-term funding as exempt.
Constitutional: Aligns with Article I's appropriations power by maintaining funding continuity; no direct challenges, but short-term CRs could raise separation-of-powers concerns if overused, as they defer full legislative debate.
Political: As a "clean" CR with extensions, it averts shutdown risks (last in 2018–2019 cost $11 billion), but its brevity signals partisan delays in full FY 2026 budget. Permanent tax credit extension advances Affordable Care Act stability, potentially reducing uninsured rates (currently ~8%), while targeted security funding addresses post-January 6 threats. Exemptions from PAYGO (2 U.S.C. §933) prevent automatic cuts, prioritizing continuity over deficit reduction.

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

Sponsor

Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]

Recent Actions

2025-10-09: Motion by Senator Schumer to reconsider, under the order of 10/9/2025, not having voted on the prevailing side, the vote by which the third cloture motion on the motion to proceed to S. 2882 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 557) entered in Senate.
2025-10-09: Third cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 50. Record Vote Number: 557. (CR S7051) (Roll call 557)
2025-10-08: Upon reconsideration, the second cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 52. Record Vote Number: 550. (Roll call 550)
2025-10-08: Motion by Senator Schumer to reconsider the vote by which the second cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 2882 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 544) in Senate by Voice Vote.
2025-10-08: Motion to proceed to consideration of the motion to reconsider the vote by which the second cloture on the motion to proceed to the S. 2882 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 544) agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
2025-10-07: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure withdrawn in Senate.
2025-10-07: Third cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S6989)
2025-10-07: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S6989)
2025-10-06: Motion by Senator Schumer to reconsider, under the order of 10/6/2025, not having voted on the prevailing side, the vote by which the second cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 2882 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 544) entered in Senate.
2025-10-06: Second cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 45 - 50. Record Vote Number: 544. (CR S6951) (Roll call 544)
2025-10-03: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure withdrawn in Senate. (consideration: CR S6936)
2025-10-03: Second cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S6931)
2025-10-03: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S6931)
2025-10-03: Upon reconsideration, cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 46 - 52. Record Vote Number: 542. (Roll call 542)
2025-10-03: Motion by Senator Schumer to reconsider the vote by which cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 2882 was not invoked (Record Vote No. 536) agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.

Bill Versions

Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026 — issued 2025-09-18 — PDF (68 pages)
Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026 — issued 2025-09-19 — PDF (68 pages)

Related Bills

H.R. 5450 (119th Congress)