This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/massive-spending-bill-hits-snag-in-congress-as-deadline-draws-near/2014/12/09/981a81b4-7fa7-11e4-81fd-8c4814dfa9d7_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Deal reached on $1.01 trillion spending bill Deal reached on $1.01 trillion spending bill
(about 2 hours later)
Congressional leaders unveiled a massive $1.01 trillion spending bill Tuesday night that will keep most of the federal government funded through September.Congressional leaders unveiled a massive $1.01 trillion spending bill Tuesday night that will keep most of the federal government funded through September.
The legislation is expected to pass in the coming days and will allow the new Republican-controlled Congress to clear the decks of lingering spending issues, while setting the stage for a prolonged fight with President Obama over immigration policy. The legislation is expected to pass in the coming days and will allow the incoming Republican-controlled Congress to clear the decks of lingering spending issues while setting the stage for a prolonged fight with President Obama over immigration policy.
At 1,603 pages, the legislation provides money to fight the rise of the Islamic State and $5.4 billion to fight the threat of Ebola. But there is no additional money for the Affordable Care Act and there are modest spending cuts at the Environmental Protection Agency and Internal Revenue Service, two perennial GOP targets. Still, Democrats won bigger budgets for enforcement at agencies created after the 2008 economic collapse. At 1,603 pages, the bill includes at least $1.2 billion for agencies to deal with the influx of unaccompanied immigrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. There’s also money to fight the rise of the Islamic State and $5.4 billion to fight the threat of Ebola. But there are also significant changes to campaign finance laws and potential cuts to retiree pension plans. Democrats were cheering bigger budgets for enforcement at agencies created after the 2008 economic collapse.
House leaders said they will introduce a stopgap bill to give the House and Senate more time to pass the final bill and avoid a government shutdown Thursday night. Extending current funding for just a few days has happened before, but doing so again this year would provide an embarrassing climax to one of the most fruitless congressional sessions in history. House leaders are planning to introduce a stopgap bill to give the House and Senate a few more days to pass the final measure and avoid a government shutdown Thursday night. Extending current funding for a short period has happened before, but doing so this year will provide an embarrassing climax to one of the most fruitless congressional sessions in history.
“There’s no reason the government should shut down,” Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday. “And we’re ready to pass a year-long spending bill to take care of this.” “There’s no reason the government should shut down,” Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said. “And we’re ready to pass a year-long spending bill to take care of this.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) provided assurances that the bill would pass “before we leave here this week.” John Thune (S.D.), the third-ranking Republican senator, joked that last-minute drama with the spending plan “is a Christmas tradition.” But, he added, “I don’t see it getting derailed. I think it could get slowed down, but I think it will ultimately get across the finish line.”
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the third-ranking GOP senator, joked that last-minute drama with the spending plan “is a Christmas tradition.” But, he added, “I don’t see it getting derailed. I think it could get slowed down, but I think it will ultimately get across the finish line.” The White House had not indicated by late Tuesday whether it supported the bill.
The $1.01 trillion agreement hews to spending caps agreed to by the White House and lawmakers last year. It includes $521 billion in military spending and $492 billion for other federal agencies. An additional $64 billion would be set aside for overseas military operations, including the fight against the Islamic State and to assist European countries facing Russian aggression. The agreement hews to spending caps that lawmakers and the White House agreed to last year. It includes $521 billion in military spending and $492 billion for other federal agencies. An additional $64 billion would be set aside for overseas military operations, including the fight against the Islamic State and to assist European countries facing Russian aggression.
The legislation would provide full funding for 11 of the 12 appropriations bills Congress is supposed to pass each year. But Republicans insisted on extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which has jurisdiction over immigration enforcement, just until late February. Doing so will give Republicans more time to craft a legislative response to Obama’s decision to use his executive authority to change immigration policy. The legislation would provide full funding for 11 of the 12 appropriations bills Congress is supposed to pass each year. But Republicans insisted on a shorter funding schedule for the Department of Homeland Security, which has jurisdiction over immigration enforcement. The sprawling department will get money only through Feburary, giving Republicans more time to craft a legislative response to Obama’s decision to use his executive authority to change immigration policy.
Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) and Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.), who led the talks as heads of the Senate and House and Appropriations committees, described the agreement as a fair deal for both sides. But federal dollars also would be spread to other agencies to help address the rise in immigration, which is likely to infuriate conservative lawmakers seeking to cut funding for immigration programs.
“While not everyone got everything they wanted, such compromises must be made in a divided government,” they said in a joint statement. “These are the tough choices that we must make to govern responsibly and do what the American people sent us here to do.” The Department of Health and Human Services would receive $948 million to provide health and education services to the unaccompanied children — an $80 million increase. An additional $14 million would be provided to help school districts dealing with an influx of immigrant students. And the State Department would receive $260 million to aid the Central American countries where most of the young migrants are coming from.
The bill authorizes a 1 percent pay raise for military service members but says nothing about a pay raise for civilian federal workers. In response to recent scandals, there would once again be bans and limitations on certain federal agency conferences and employee awards. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) and Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.), who led the talks as leaders of the Senate and House appropriations committees, called the bill a fair deal.
At domestic agencies, the EPA’s budget would be cut by $60 million, and the IRS would lose $345.6 million, according to GOP negotiators. The nation’s tax agency also would be banned from targeting organizations seeking tax-exempt status based on their ideological beliefs. “While not everyone got everything they wanted, such compromises must be made in a divided government,” they said in a statement.
The bill is packed with policy instructions, called “riders,” that were the subject of months of discussions between Democrats and Republicans. The Obama administration would once again be blocked from transferring terrorism detainees at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, into the United States. And the federal government would be banned from adding sage-grouse, a bird found in many Western states, to the endangered species list. The bill is packed with policy instructions, called “riders,” that were the subject of months of discussions between Democrats and Republicans.
In a blow to the District of Columbia, Congress would block sales of marijuana but allow city officials to implement a law approved by voters last month that allows for possession of up to two ounces of pot and home cultivation of up to three mature cannabis plants. One of the most notable changes includes dramatically expanding the amount of money that wealthy political donors could give the national parties, drastically undercutting the 2002 landmark McCain-Feingold campaign finance overhaul. Top donors would be allowed to give three times the annual cap on national party donations to three additional party committees set up for the purposes of the presidential conventions, building expenses and election recounts.
Reid told reporters Tuesday that he opposes putting any restrictions on the District’s new marijuana program, but conceded that it may be difficult to remove such language from the final bill. For the first time, Congress also would allow the benefits of current retirees to be severely cut, part of an effort to save some of the nation’s most distressed pension plans.
“The District of Columbia should do what they want to do,” he said. The bill authorizes a 1 percent pay raise for military service members and allows a 1 percent pay raise for federal employees, ordered by Obama, to begin in January. Lawmakers again banned or limited certain federal agency conferences and employee awards. The bill also ends a 5 percent discount on tobacco products sold at military exchanges.
Aaron Davis contributed to this report. At domestic agencies, the EPA’s budget would be cut by $60 million, and the IRS would lose $345.6 million. The nation’s tax agency also would be banned from targeting organizations seeking tax-exempt status based on their ideological beliefs.
Aaron Davis, Michael Fletcher and Matea Gold contributed to this report.