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.