Lawmakers Cut $1.5 Trillion Spending Deal to Avoid Government Shutdown – Includes $13.6 Billion in Ukraine Aid

Democrat and Republican House members reportedly reached a $1.5 trillion deal overnight to fund the government for the 2022 fiscal year.

With the Friday deadline for the expiration of funding for federal agencies, the House was also reportedly set to vote on a stop-gap funding resolution allowing the government to remain running through March 15, according to Reuters.

This stop-gap would be needed if the Senate is unable to pass the more comprehensive “omnibus” spending bill.

The $1.5 trillion deal reportedly includes $13.6 billion in funding for security and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, as well as $15.6 billion for COVID-19.

The omnibus plan will also include money for infrastructure, $730 billion in non-defense funding, and $782 billion in defense funding.

“This bipartisan agreement will help us address many of the major challenges we face at home and abroad: from COVID-19, to the vicious and immoral attack on Ukraine, to the need to lower costs for hardworking American families,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

The House is scheduled to vote on the passage of the deal later today, as well as the stop-gap funding measure.

They are also expected to vote on a bill banning Russian energy imports, mirroring the announcement made by President Biden yesterday.