The House Appropriations Committee has released text for a continuing resolution (CR) to extend federal funding through November 21, with a House floor vote expected Friday. The bill aims to avoid a Sept. 30 shutdown while maintaining a number of expiring health care provisions --- including Medicare hospital adjustments, telehealth and hospital-at-home flexibilities, and a delay of Medicaid DSH cuts. For veterans, the CR continues:

• Nursing Home Care Obligations for service-connected disabled veterans

• Staff Sergeant Parker Fox Suicide Prevention Grants to fund community-based prevention efforts

• Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) intensive mental health case management

• Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) services such as treatment, housing, and vocational support

• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) financial and supportive assistance for at-risk families

But passage is far from certain. Democrats and Republicans remain divided, with Democrats pressing for permanent health care expansions and Republicans holding to what they describe as a “clean” seven-week stopgap. Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, have pledged to block the House bill absent serious negotiations. The standoff raises the stakes for government funding and could set the stage for a shutdown on October 1 if Congress fails to act.