House Sends $460B Package to Senate Ahead of Deadline

The House passed a $460 billion package of spending bills Wednesday that would keep money flowing to key federal agencies through the remainder of the budget year. The Senate is expected to take up the legislation and send it to President Biden before a midnight Friday shutdown deadline, the AP reports. Lawmakers are negotiating a second package of six bills, including defense, in an effort to have all agencies fully funded before a March 22 deadline. In the end, total discretionary spending set by Congress is expected to come in at about $1.66 trillion for the entire year.

A significant number of House Republicans have lined up in opposition to the spending packages, forcing Republican Speaker Mike Johnson to use an expedited process to bring the bill up for a vote. That process requires two-thirds of the House to vote for the measure for it to pass. The House passed the measure by a vote of 339-85. The nondefense spending in this year's bills is relatively flat compared to the previous year's. Supporters say keeping that spending below the rate of inflation is tantamount to a cut, forcing agencies to be more frugal and focus manpower on top priorities. Johnson cited a 10% cut to the Environmental Protection Agency, a 7% cut to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and a 6% cut to the FBI.

But many GOP lawmakers wanted steeper cuts. The House Freedom Caucus urged Republicans to vote against the first spending package and oppose the second one being negotiated. "Despite giving Democrats higher spending levels, the omnibus text released so far punts on nearly every single Republican policy priority," the group said. Johnson countered that Republicans have just a two-vote majority in the House, while Democrats control the Senate and White House. "We have to be realistic about what we're able to achieve," Johnson said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate would approve the legislation "with time to spare" ahead of Friday's deadline, per the New York Times.

(More federal budget stories.)