HR 9770: Making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2027, and for other purposes.

HR 9770 in plain English: This bill provides temporary government funding at FY2026 levels through December 4, 2026, preventing a government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins October 1, 2026. It includes specific funding exceptions for programs such as WIC, FEMA disaster relief, and Indian Health Service, and extends several expiring programs including the National Flood Insurance Program and TANF.

Stated purpose

To provide temporary funding to keep the federal government operating at roughly fiscal year 2026 spending levels through December 4, 2026, or until full-year FY2027 appropriations are enacted, whichever comes first, while also extending several expiring federal programs and authorities.

Key points

• Funds federal agencies at FY2026 levels through December 4, 2026, or until new appropriations are enacted
• Provides $75,774,000 for Indian Health Services and $8,296,000 for Indian Health Facilities for new facility staffing and operations
• Extends expiring programs including the National Flood Insurance Program, TANF, and livestock mandatory price reporting
• Freezes cost-of-living adjustments for Members of Congress and limits pay increases for the Vice President and senior political appointees
• Authorizes $174,000 payments each to the heirs of the late Rep. David Scott and the late Sen. Lindsey Graham

Arguments supporters make

• A continuing resolution prevents a disruptive government shutdown, protecting federal workers, benefit recipients, and the public from the immediate harm of halted services.
• Funding most programs at existing levels maintains stability and predictability for agencies and the people they serve while Congress works toward full-year budget agreements.
• Special carve-outs for programs like WIC, wildfire suppression, and disaster relief show the bill responds to real urgent needs rather than just freezing everything in place.

Arguments opponents make

• Continuing resolutions delay the hard budget decisions Congress is supposed to make and can lock in spending levels that no longer reflect current priorities or needs.
• Funding agencies at prior-year rates can disrupt programs that need increases to keep up with rising costs, effectively cutting their real purchasing power.
• Relying on short-term CRs rather than passing full appropriations bills reflects a repeated failure of Congress to do its core budgeting work on time, creating ongoing uncertainty for agencies and the public.

Tradeoffs

Avoiding a government shutdown requires accepting another temporary patch rather than a full-year budget, which provides stability in the short term but leaves agencies, programs, and the public without a settled funding plan beyond December 4, 2026.

Current status in Congress: In committee.

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