Senate to consider stop-gap spending bill

The Senate is expected to vote later today on a continuing resolution that would fund certain federal programs through Feb. 8 in an effort to prevent a shutdown of those programs when their current funding expires Friday night. Congress has already approved legislation funding the departments of Health and Human Services, Defense and Labor through fiscal year 2019. In addition, the CR would continue until Feb. 8 Section 405(a) of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, which provides a limited antitrust exemption for federal meetings to collaborate on qualified countermeasures. A coalition of 29 health care and public health organizations, including the AHA, this month urged Congress to pass the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness & Advancing Innovation Act (S. 2852/H.R. 6378) before Congress adjourns for the year.