The Senate has recently passed a $1.2 trillion funding package resolving multiple spending disputes.
The Senate has approved a $1.2 trillion funding package, resolving a series of spending conflicts that have plagued Congress for several months. In the early hours of Saturday morning, despite objections from Republicans about limited time for review, the Senate voted 74-24 in favor of the extensive spending bill. The package encompasses the remaining six fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills and was released early on Thursday, giving lawmakers less than two days to review its 1,012 pages.
Some Republican senators had intended to delay the $1.2 trillion spending package, citing concerns about the tight timeline. Senator Mike Lee (R., Utah) referred to the process as “utterly absurd,” while Senator Rick Scott (R., Fla.) characterized it as “a disorganized approach to governing.”
A major point of contention for Republicans was border-related amendments, such as the modified Laken Riley Act which aims to prevent undocumented immigrants who have committed certain crimes from obtaining citizenship or legal status. The Laken Riley Act was introduced as an amendment by Senator Ted Budd (R., N.C.) following the passage of a House bill addressing border-related issues earlier this month. The legislation is currently awaiting a vote in the Senate.
Democrats generally opposed holding a vote on the border amendments. However, shortly before midnight, a bipartisan agreement was reached, as announced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.). “After a long and challenging day, we have achieved an agreement to fulfill the government’s funding obligations,” Schumer stated on the Senate floor. “This bipartisan deal is in the best interest of our nation. It hasn’t been an easy process, but our perseverance has paid off.”
The Senate vote took place just before the midnight deadline, narrowly averting a brief partial government shutdown. The legislation will now be sent to President Joe Biden’s desk, where it is expected to be signed into law. The White House has affirmed that agencies will continue operating as usual and will not face a shutdown.
Given the Senate’s approval of the comprehensive package over the weekend, the impact of a partial government shutdown would have been minimal.On Friday, the House voted 286–134 in favor of the latest appropriations measures. These measures encompassed funding for the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State, and the legislative branch. During the House vote, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R., Ga.) filed a motion to remove Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.), but did not proceed with an immediate vote on his removal. Greene described her motion as a “warning” to Johnson, who assumed the position of Speaker after Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) stepped down in October. Greene accused Johnson of betraying his party members by endorsing a $1.2 trillion spending package to avoid a government shutdown. Greene intended for the spending bill to be used as leverage to secure the border.
However, Republicans successfully negotiated several provisions to allocate additional resources to the border. These provisions included funding for 2,000 new Border Patrol agents, more ICE detention beds, and a 25 percent increase in funding for technology at the southern border.
One noteworthy aspect of the legislation was a reduction in aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). This agency has faced controversy due to recent reports showing that at least a dozen of its staff members directly participated in terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7. The funding cut was a response to these findings.
Despite facing opposition within his own party, Johnson saw the policy victories achieved in the package as a win for conservatives. He emphasized that House Republicans had successfully secured conservative policy wins, rejected extreme Democrat proposals, and made significant cuts while strengthening national defense. Johnson also highlighted that breaking the habit of relying on omnibus bills was a positive step and represented the best outcome achievable in a divided government.
Two weeks earlier, Congress had already passed the first half of the remaining appropriations bills. This $468 billion package, which President Biden signed into law, included funding for various departments such as Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, as well as other federal programs.