Senate tackles initial spending bills to avert shutdown.

A ⁤package of three ⁢appropriations bills ⁢cleared a procedural hurdle in the Senate on Tuesday as the possibility of‍ a government shutdown loomed on the horizon.

With an 85–12 vote, ⁣the Senate invoked cloture on spending concerning military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), agriculture and the U.S. Food and ⁣Drug⁤ Administration, and ​transportation and Housing and Urban Development.

The Senate​ is expected to vote on the package on‍ Wednesday.

As Tuesday’s vote ⁤took place, Sen. Bob Menendez ​(D-N.J.) heralded the advancement of the appropriations process as “a good step forward” toward passing not only the bills in question but⁤ also‍ a continuing resolution ‌to extend government⁤ funding while budget negotiations continue.

That’s a sentiment that ‌was shared by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who told ⁤The Epoch Times that he was glad to see the Senate moving forward in bipartisanship to fund the federal government.

“We obviously⁤ also need to get a continuing resolution through as a ‍stopgap measure,” ⁤he added. “And that’s ⁢a huge⁣ contrast to‍ the House of ⁢Representatives, where Speaker [Kevin] McCarthy has ​been captured by his far-right wing.”

Looming Shutdown

Lawmakers are up against a tight​ deadline ‌to pass⁢ all the required appropriations bills by Sept. 30, the final day of fiscal year 2023. If Congress fails to accomplish that goal, a ⁣government ‌shutdown could be ‍in⁢ the works.

During debt⁣ ceiling negotiations earlier‍ this year, Republicans ⁣and ‌Democrats agreed​ to suspend the nation’s $31.4⁢ trillion spending cap, keeping spending‌ levels essentially flat through Jan. ​1, 2025. But⁢ another ​showdown could take place as Republicans seek ‍to secure spending cuts on ‍top of that deal.

On Sept.⁢ 7, Senate⁣ Majority ‌Leader Chuck ⁣Schumer (D-N.Y.) praised⁤ the Senate ‌Appropriations Committee’s bipartisanship‌ in advancing all‍ 12 required appropriations bills to the full Senate as “a‌ lesson ‍in how governing should work.”

“That doesn’t mean parties have agreed on everything,” Mr. Schumer added on the Senate floor.⁤ “We know that won’t happen.‌ But‌ what ⁢it means is that⁤ our disagreements have⁤ not paralyzed the process. That’s the‌ mark of‍ good governance.”

Calling on House Republicans to follow in the committee’s footsteps, Mr. ​Schumer urged them to work ​with Democrats to avoid a government ⁤shutdown.

“We do not need‍ to go down‍ that road,” he said. “And ⁢we cannot follow the lead of the mindless few who believe a‌ shutdown is a good thing ‍and who​ want it and who openly admit they want it. They’re hurting the American people, plain ​and simple.”

Leaders in both chambers have voiced support for passing a short-term continuing resolution to temporarily extend government funding. But the staunchly conservative House Freedom Caucus has vowed to oppose such a resolution without certain concessions from Democrats.

Specifically, the⁤ caucus is requiring the inclusion of the ‍Secure the Border Act passed ⁤earlier this‍ year by the House, ⁣as well as provisions addressing⁣ the “unprecedented‌ weaponization” of the FBI ⁣and ⁣Justice Department and ending the “cancerous ​woke policies in​ the Pentagon undermining our military’s​ core warfighting mission.”

At a Tuesday press ⁢conference, Freedom Caucus⁢ Chair Scott ​Perry ‍(R-Pa.) said his caucus would not ⁤support a continuing resolution that “continues the policies and the spending of the Biden-Schumer-Pelosi era.”

“We’re ⁣not going‌ to vote for⁣ it,” Mr. Perry said. “We didn’t vote for it last December, and we’re not going to vote for it now.”

As for accusations of‌ brinkmanship, the congressman ​added: ‌“We’re ⁣not here to talk about brinkmanship. ‍No one here is interested in a pause in government funding. What​ we’re interested in ​is taking the Biden boot off the neck of the⁤ American people.”

That boot,⁢ fellow Freedom Caucus member Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) contended, ⁢has been “trampling” the ⁤public with ‍weaponized agencies and out-of-control spending.

“How many migrants have to die‌ in the⁣ back of ‌a tractor-trailer in San Antonio? How many have to die in the Rio Grande? How many girls have to get sold​ into the sex trafficking trade before this body will‌ wake up and​ stop⁢ an out-of-control ‍president?” Mr. Roy wondered.