With Republicans controlling the House and Democrats the Senate in the fall of 2002, agreement on a spending plan for 2003 proved impossible. Congress passed a series of stopgap spending measures (continuing resolutions, or CRs) instead. However, the outcome of the 2002 electionswhich widened the Republicans' margin in the House and gave them control of the Senate-encouraged the Republican leadership to move aggressively toward a new spending package. Progressives--and Democrats generally--were concerned that this final spending package would short-change domestic programs, including homeland security. As House and Senate negotiators worked out differences between the two bodies' versions of the spending plan, Obey (D-WI) moved to instruct the negotiators from the House to agree to the highest levels of funding for veterans' medical care, for homeland security, and for education, labor, and health programs in general. Progressives supported this motion to instruct, but it was defeated 200-209 on an almost perfect party-line vote.