The Senate passed a $460 billion spending bill on Friday to fund about half of the federal government through the fall, narrowly avoiding a partial shutdown. The bill, which received a lopsided 75-to-22 vote, will now head to President Biden’s desk for final approval.
This resolution comes after months of spending stalemate that has plagued Congress, pushing the government to the brink of shutdown multiple times. With funding set to lapse at midnight, the White House announced that preparations for a shutdown were halted and President Biden is expected to sign the bill on Saturday.
While this bill covers funding for various federal programs such as agriculture, energy, transportation, and veterans, negotiations are still ongoing for the remaining half of the government, including the Pentagon. Congress must pass a spending bill for the Pentagon by March 22 to prevent a shutdown, with unresolved issues surrounding funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
Despite the bipartisan nature of the bill, Democrats rejected some of the more contentious Republican policy demands, such as defunding a new FDA rule on medication abortion and cutting nutritional benefits for low-income families. House Republicans did secure some smaller victories, including cuts to certain agencies and the inclusion of a measure curtailing a policy aimed at preventing veteran suicides.
One Democrat, Senator Christopher S. Murphy of Connecticut, opposed the bill due to concerns about the inclusion of the policy related to veteran suicides. Overall, lawmakers expressed relief that at least part of the government funding issue has been resolved, emphasizing the importance of bipartisan cooperation in getting things done.
