Congress Approves Initial Spending Bills Just in Time to Avert Shutdown

The Senate approved a $460 billion spending package to prevent a federal shutdown, taking a step closer to finalizing appropriations for the 2024 budget year. The bill, which contains six annual spending bills and has passed the House, now awaits President Joe Biden’s signature. Lawmakers are also working on a second package of six bills, including defense, to fully fund federal agencies by a March 22 deadline.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, highlighted the bipartisan effort, emphasizing the positive impact the bill will have on various sectors such as transportation, public safety, and support for veterans.

The Senate passed the bill with a vote of 75-22, ensuring that federal agencies would avoid a short shutdown. The bill’s passage marks progress in the ongoing effort to address federal spending for the current fiscal year.

Despite some policy wins for Republicans, Democrats successfully prevented certain policy riders from being included in the bill. The overall discretionary spending is expected to reach approximately $1.66 trillion for the full budget year.

Sen. Patty Murray, the Democratic chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, expressed pride in protecting crucial funding that benefits all Americans.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, voiced concerns about excessive compromise leading to increased spending, highlighting the bipartisan nature of the negotiation process.

The bill also includes various projects requested by lawmakers, with critics pointing out potential pork-barrel spending. Efforts to remove these projects were largely unsuccessful, with lawmakers defending the inclusion as beneficial to their constituents.

Lawmakers are framing the new approach to funding, splitting it into two packages, as an improvement to the process compared to previous years. The first package, covering key departments, is now awaiting the President’s approval.