Senate delivers $1.2 trillion funding bill to Biden post missing shutdown deadline
Funding Package Approved by Senate, Sent to Biden
The Senate, in an overnight showdown, greenlit a substantial $1.2 trillion funding package early on Saturday. This mammoth spending bill is now en route to President Joe Biden’s desk following a missed midnight funding deadline.
The legislation sailed through with a 74-24 vote shortly past 2 a.m. ET, marking the end of extensive bipartisan negotiations that secure government funding until September 30.
What’s Included in the Funding Bill?
- Departments funded: Defense, Labor, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, State, Education, and the legislative branch.
- Coverage: Approximately 70% of the federal government.
- Timeline: Closing the fiscal 2024 appropriations process, nearly half a year after its commencement.
As the clock ticked towards the shutdown, tension mounted in the upper chamber as Republicans pressed for amendment votes linked to immigration and border issues. Achieving consensus among all 100 senators was pivotal for expediting the approval of the hefty spending package before the crucial Friday night deadline.
“The upper chamber hit a stalemate Friday evening as Republicans demanded multiple amendment votes related to immigration and the border in exchange for speeding up the process.”
Despite the formal expiration of government funding at midnight, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer came through with a last-minute announcement, signaling agreement on amendment votes and final passage just shy of the shutdown outset.
The saga climaxed when the White House’s Office of Management and Budget stood down from official shutdown arrangements post-midnight, expressing strong confidence in the imminent passage of relevant appropriations and the pending bill signing by the President on Saturday.
The arduous struggle to secure government funding testifies to the challenges posed by a divided Congress, resulting in multiple short-term, stopgap funding measures to sustain agency operations.
Partisan Divide over Bill’s Quick Approval
The bipartisan accord, though lauded by both Republican and Democratic leaders, sparked dissent during the House vote on Friday. The swift progression of the bill aroused frustration among several Republicans, triggering objections to its substance and pace of advancement.
As the dust settles for a brief congressional recess, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decisive move to push forth the package, despite facing dissent from a majority of Republicans, sparked immediate backlash. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene swiftly moved to challenge Johnson’s leadership.
Watch this space for the unfolding drama as Congress heads into a two-week hiatus, with Greene’s resolution poised for deliberation upon the House’s return from recess in April.
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