The U.S. Senate filed Continuing Resolution, Senate amendment to H.R. 695 – Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 [Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019, legislation on Dec. 19 to extend government programs and operations through Feb. 8, 2019, and to prevent a partial government shutdown on Dec. 21.

From the Senate Appropriations Committee press release –

Temporary extensions included in previous CRs of expiring authorities:

• The National Flood Insurance Program, for the duration of the CR.
• The Violence Against Women Act, for the duration of the CR.
• The Pesticide Registration Improvement Act, for the duration of the CR.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, for the duration of the CR.
• Immigration extensions (EB-5, E-Verify, Conrad 30 program for international medical school graduates, Special Immigrant Religious Workers program, and H2B returning worker authority for DHS), for the duration of the CR.

The Senate passed the Continuing Resolution late last night (Dec. 19). The legislation is pending consideration in the U.S. House. It is widely believed that Congress will present a Continuing Resolution to the president preventing a government shutdown or stoppage of critical programs, like EB-5, in a timely manner. We will continue to monitor this quickly moving situation.