The issue focused on the US government granting $7 billion in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act to the National Endowment for Democracy, a Washington-based organization that uses corporate funding to finance election-suspect activities and political candidates around the world. The President of the House voted to block the appropriation in a call for bipartisan support for the bill to keep the government open and government agencies functioning until the fiscal year ends on September 30.


The Congressional process is not meant to be followed by the President,