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Congress Gives Final Approval to First Half of Spending Package to Avoid Shutdown Congress Approves Spending Package to Avoid Shutdown, Clearing It for Trump
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Congress gave final approval on Thursday to an eight-bill spending package that would fund domestic programs across the government, and carried many unrelated provisions that would repeal three health care taxes and raise the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 nationally. WASHINGTON — Congress gave final approval on Thursday to $1.4 trillion in federal spending, staving off a lapse in government funding for the remainder of the fiscal year and delivering the legislation to President Trump in a year-end flurry of bipartisan compromise.
With government funding set to lapse Friday, the Senate rushed to pass two packages of spending legislation — allocating a total of $1.4 trillion in federal spending — in time for lawmakers to leave for a scheduled holiday break. Lawmakers approved the first package, stuffed with billions of dollars for nondefense programs and a number of additions, by a vote of 71 to 23. The Senate on Thursday cleared two spending packages that comprised the dozen must-pass bills needed to prevent funding from running out the eve of Dec. 20. While President Trump has not formally announced his intent to sign the legislation, the administration has indicated he will do so in order to avoid what would be a catastrophic lapse in funding.
They are expected to approve the remaining package of legislation — four bills that outline both defense and national security spending — later Thursday afternoon. President Trump, who vowed never to sign another catchall spending package, has not formally said whether he would sign the two measures, but the administration has indicated that he will do so in order to avoid a catastrophic lapse in funding. Mr. Trump, having vowed never to sign a catchall spending package again, will instead sign two separate packages, stuffed with new funding allocations for a sweeping array of federal programs and many unrelated provisions, that will maintain funding through most of 2020.
The initial package approved on Thursday includes $25 million in funding for gun violence research, the first time in more than two decades that such funding will be provided, and a number of provisions supported by both parties. It includes provisions to fortify pensions and health care benefits for coal miners, repeals three unpopular health care taxes first outlined in the Affordable Care Act and extends a number of tax breaks. Lawmakers approved the first package, containing billions of dollars for nondefense programs and a number of additions, by a vote of 71 to 23. It included $25 million in funding for gun violence research, the first time in more than two decades that such funding will be provided, and a number of provisions supported by both parties.
Those popular measures — plus the specter of another Christmastime government shutdown after the one that began almost exactly a year ago and stretched into January, becoming the nation’s longest — helped smooth the path to completion of the spending deal, after months of disputes between Republicans and Democrats that had delayed an agreement. It also incorporated provisions to fortify pensions and health care benefits for coal miners, repealed three unpopular health care taxes first outlined in the Affordable Care Act and raised the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 nationally, as well as a last-hour congressional agreement on taxes and spending.
A second package that contained $738 billion in defense funding and funding for the administration’s immigration policies passed on a 81 to 11 margin. That measure would allocate $1.375 billion for border barrier construction, placing no limitations on Mr. Trump’s ability to transfer funds from other Pentagon accounts to pay for the wall. It does not, however, replace the $3.6 billion in military construction funding that the president had previously allocated to the construction of a border wall. The national security package also includes funds for a 3.1 pay raise for civilian federal employees.
The popular additions helped smooth the path to completion of the spending deal, after months of disputes between Republicans and Democrats that had delayed an agreement. Lawmakers had passed two short-term spending bills to keep the government funded once the fiscal year began on Oct. 1, leaving themselves more time to haggle. The final agreement, though, was motivated in large part by a keen desire at the White House and on Capitol Hill to avoid another Christmastime government shutdown after the one that began almost exactly a year ago and stretched into January, becoming the nation’s longest.
“As the clock winds down, let’s come together and do what seemed so unlikely just a month ago: fund the entire federal government before the Christmas break,” said Senator Richard C. Shelby, Republican of Alabama and the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.“As the clock winds down, let’s come together and do what seemed so unlikely just a month ago: fund the entire federal government before the Christmas break,” said Senator Richard C. Shelby, Republican of Alabama and the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The holiday season burst of legislating has become standard in Congress, which seems to operate at its best when faced with crushing deadlines, like the threat of another Christmas shutdown. But the December rush of bipartisan cooperation was particularly stunning given that it coincided with the House vote to impeach Mr. Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
In a span of two weeks, the 116th Congress ended its first year with both the impeachment of the president for the third time in American history and final approval of thousands of pages and billions of dollars in complex legislation. The Senate on Tuesday approved a $738 billion military policy bill that would allow for the creation of the Space Force as the sixth branch of military and create paid parental leave for more than two million civilian federal workers. The legislation also carried several rebukes to countries that have provoked bipartisan anger on Capitol Hill, including China, Turkey and Russia.
As the upper chamber wrapped up debate and approval of a dozen judicial nominees, the House overwhelmingly passed a revision to Mr. Trump’s North American trade agreement, the product of months of negotiations between House Democrats and the administration.
And Mr. Trump on Thursday signed legislation that would permanently replenishes $255 million a year in order to support science, technology, engineering and math — or STEM — in historically black colleges, tribal colleges and higher education institutions over the next two years.
“The thing that makes them come together is the date,” said Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois and one of the key Democrat negotiators in crafting revisions to Mr. Trump’s trade deal. “We’re running out of time here.”
Proponents, particularly on the Appropriations committees that control federal spending, were triumphant, having assured colleagues and reporters for weeks that it was indeed possible to resolve persisting issues in the dozen must-pass spending bills before the end of the month.
“I’m pleased that I was proven right,” said Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, adding that she was particularly surprised that lawmakers were able to resolve negotiations over a series of tax credits and other breaks that were set to expire or had already ended.
“That looked like it was dead many times,” she added with a laugh.
But some lawmakers groused that they had been given little time to pore through the text of the enormous agreements, to scrutinize individual spending items.
“The worst Christmas movie is the one that runs every single year, from this chamber, from this city on C-Span,” said Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, one of the few remaining budget hawks in Congress, declared, referring to the spending packages.
Senator James Lankford, Republican of Oklahoma, compared the domestic package to a “supreme pizza” because of the additional provisions tied to the bill.
“It has some things I like, and it has some things I really don’t like,” he said as he headed to the chamber for a vote. “When I eat supreme pizza, all I seem to taste is the black olives peppers and onions. Takes away from the good.”
But all appeared to be relatively eager to leave Washington for a scheduled holiday break, with several senators dashing to the airport after casting their last vote for the final spending package.
Senators Pat Roberts of Kansas, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Roger Wicker of Mississippi — all Republicans — stood toward the back of the chamber, hands outstretched to signal their vote. Once their vote was counted, beaming, Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Republican, offered each of them a fist bump before they all left.