HR 1968119th CongressBecame Law

Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025

Introduced: Mar 10, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (H.R. 1968) is a comprehensive continuing resolution intended to fund the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year 2025 (through September 30, 2025). It largely provides funding at the prior year’s (fiscal year 2024) levels for most programs, with a multitude of specific adjustments and extensions across various agencies and programs. The bill also consolidates several health-related programs, extends a broad set of Medicare and Medicaid authorities, and includes a slate of related policy provisions (budgetary, oversight, and enforcement measures) designed to keep government operations running while avoiding a shutdown or the need for immediate, new appropriations. In addition to continuing funding, the bill makes targeted extensions (especially in Division B on health and Medicare), sets forth instructions for agency spending plans, authorizes certain transfers and waivers, and imposes constraints and reporting requirements. It also includes a number of rescissions and “notwithstanding” provisions that allow agencies to operate at or adjust from FY2024 levels under specified conditions.

Key Points

1Full-year continuing funding through September 30, 2025. Most accounts are funded at levels from the FY2024 appropriations acts, with specific exceptions and adjustments spelled out in the bill. This is designed to prevent a lapse in appropriations and keep federal operations ongoing.
2Health and Medicare policy extensions (Division B).
3- Public health extenders: extensions for community health centers, the National Health Service Corps, and teaching health centers with graduate medical education programs; and continued funding for certain diabetes programs and national health security activities.
4- Medicare provisions: extensions for increased payments to certain low-volume hospitals, the Medicare-dependent hospital program, add-ons for ambulance services, funding for quality measures and outreach, telehealth flexibilities, the “hospital at home” authorities, coverage for oral antiviral drugs under Part D, and related Medicare financing/financing reforms (including the Medicare improvement fund and sequestration provisions).
5- Medicaid: delay of certain DSH (disproportionate share hospital) reductions.
6Other health and human services extensions. The bill includes titles for sexual risk avoidance and personal responsibility education extensions, and continued funding for family-to-family health information centers.
7Division C and other matters (policy and oversight).
8- CFTC whistleblower program; protection of facilities/assets from unmanned aircraft; additional special assessments; cybersecurity authorities; and an extension of temporary orders related to fentanyl-related substances.
9- Budget and reporting requirements: departments/agencies covered must submit spending/expenditure plans within 45 days of enactment and provide ongoing monthly obligation reporting; and there are provisions governing emergency requirements and designation status.
10Department of Defense and related accounts. The bill specifies detailed funding levels for personnel, operations and maintenance, procurement, and other DoD accounts, using a combination of continuing levels and not-otherwise-specified increases or decrements. It also requires DoD to submit an execution plan and imposes conditions on transfers and reprogramming, with sequestration impacts addressed if applicable.
11Energy, interior, and related programs. The Act sets specific funding parameters for energy/water development and interior programs, including provisions that affect water resources, nuclear security-related activities, and related defense components where applicable.
12Reforms, rescissions, and emergency designations. The bill rescinds certain unobligated or prior-year funds and designates certain emergency requirements for continued designation under the Budget Act rules. It also clarifies that earmarks and certain committee-report language have no legal effect on funds provided.

Impact Areas

Primary: Federal agencies and their program beneficiaries, especially in health care (Medicare/Medicaid), rural health and telemedicine programs, community health centers, and public health extension programs; personnel and operations within DoD; and agencies funded under major divisions (e.g., Agriculture, Interior, Energy, Justice, DHS, HUD, VA, State/Foreign Ops, Transportation, etc.).Beneficiaries and service users:- Medicare beneficiaries and providers who rely on extended waivers, telehealth flexibilities, hospital-based adjustments, and coverage expansions.- Low-income and rural populations benefiting from continued funding for Medicaid-related payments, WIC and other nutrition programs, and health centers.Oversight and budgeting processes: Agencies must submit detailed spending plans and monthly obligation reporting, potentially increasing transparency but also imposing reporting burdens during the CR period.Potential constraints on new initiatives: Because most funding is anchored to FY2024 levels with limited exceptions, some agencies may have limited ability to pivot toward new programs or expanded reform initiatives that require higher or new funding.National security and defense: DoD funding levels and transfer authorities are preserved with detailed accountings, and the bill requires defense planning documentation, potentially affecting how quickly new programs can start or expand.Continuing resolutions (CRs): A stopgap funding law that keeps the government operating when ordinary appropriations bills have not been enacted. It generally funds programs at the previous year’s levels.Notwithstanding: A legal mechanism allowing agencies to proceed with actions or funding levels that would normally be restricted by other laws or prior appropriations.Advance appropriations: Funds provided in one fiscal year to be available in a future year.Earmarks/Congressionally directed spending: Specific funds targeted to particular projects or organizations; section 1111 clarifies that such earmarks in prior acts have no legal effect on funds in this act.Sequestration: Automatic spending reductions under the Budget Control Act rules; the bill references whether such actions occur and how spending plans should reflect them.

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