The House March 22 voted 286-134 to pass the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, legislation that would fund all remaining federal agencies through Sept. 30. The bipartisan bill includes six appropriations bills, including one funding the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The legislation omits other mandatory health extenders previously under discussion, including site-neutral and hospital price transparency provisions. It also would extend through fiscal year 2024 the Conrad 30 waiver program, which waives the foreign residence requirement for physicians holding J-1 visas who agree to stay in the U.S. for three years to practice in federally designated underserved areas; and rescind $4.3 billion in COVID-19 funding from the American Rescue Plan Act that was never obligated.
The Senate could consider the legislation as soon as March 22, or passage may occur over the weekend, triggering a short government shutdown. President Biden is expected to sign it into law.
