A temporary spending measure to take effect with the October 1 start of the new fiscal year, called a "continuing resolution," could come up for voting in the House in the upcoming days and then move to the Senate. The measure would generally continue agency spending at slightly below current levels through December 15, roughly until the scheduled end of the current congressional session. It meanwhile would allow agencies to shift some money to maintain current border protection, customs and immigration enforcement staffing levels and activities; for wildfire suppression; for VA disability claims processing; for emergency preparedness; and for weather satellite operations. It does not contain any policy changes, in a bid to ease its passage. The measure is needed to prevent a partial government shutdown in the absence of regular appropriations having been passed, and in effect gives Congress more time to either pass those bills or craft a catchall budget measure for the rest of fiscal 2014. It specifies that agencies should apportion the available money to avoid furloughs, after reducing or deferring administrative expenses not related to personnel.
