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Senate poised to consider $1.1 trillion spending bill before new Saturday deadline Senate now has Wednesday deadline to consider $1.1 trillion spending bill
(about 2 hours later)
The U.S. Senate has until late Saturday night to complete work on a $1.1 trillion spending package to keep most government agencies operating through next summer. Congress now has until Wednesday night, if needed, to complete work on a $1.1 trillion spending bill to keep most government agencies operating through next summer.
The spending agreement could be passed and sent to President Obama as early as late Friday, but that would require consent from all 100 senators, including liberals and conservatives who oppose parts of the omnibus agreement. The House quietly passed another funding extension by unanimous consent on Friday afternoon to give senators even more time to work through procedural rules, debate and then vote on the spending bill.
Among liberals, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sparked a Democratic revolt this week by speaking out against the legislation. But she hadn’t indicated by Friday afternoon whether she might seek to block the bill or force at least a few hours of debate that could spill it into Saturday. Senators could ignore the proposed extension and rush to finish the spending bill Friday night, then send it to President Obama for his signature. But debate also could spill into next week if a mix of conservatives and liberals who oppose parts of the omnibus package choose to fight.
A pack of Republicans upset that the bill doesn’t do more to block Obama’s recent executive actions on immigration was plotting on Friday how to force a vote to stop the actions. But one of them, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), conceded that strong GOP support for the spending bill in the House on Thursday night makes it less likely that his views will prevail. Among liberals, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sparked a Democratic revolt this week by speaking out against the legislation. But she hadn’t indicated by Friday afternoon whether she might seek to block the bill or run out the clock.
“I adhere to the view that Congress should not fund a program that we think is unworthy and unlawful, but that’s been decided by the House,” he said on Friday morning. A pack of Republicans upset that the bill doesn’t do more to block Obama’s recent executive actions on immigration was plotting how to force a vote to stop the actions. But one of them, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), conceded Friday morning that strong GOP support for the spending bill in the House on Thursday night makes it less likely that his views will prevail.
“There isn’t a lot of time,” Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) warned as he opened the chamber and said he would support the bill. “I adhere to the view that Congress should not fund a program that we think is unworthy and unlawful, but that’s been decided by the House,” he said.
Depending on how things go, senators could be kept in Washington for several more days or be leaving town for the holidays by Saturday afternoon. In addition to Sessions, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz (Tex.), Mike Lee (Utah) and David Vitter (La.) were hoping to force a vote on their proposal to defund parts of the federal government tied to Obama’s immigration actions. A Senate GOP aide familiar with that plan said the quartet remained optimistic that there would be a vote.
Before then, senators were expected to pass legislation setting military policy for the next year. Then there’s the spending bill. Lee sent an e-mail to campaign donors, saying that no matter what happens in the next few days, a GOP-controlled Senate next year “will guarantee that any major legislation will have plenty of time for debate, so that members can do their job of informing and educating the public about what is going on in Washington. No more back rooms. No more arbitrary deadlines. No more all-or-nothing spending bills.”
In addition to Sessions, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz (Tex.), Mike Lee (Utah) and David Vitter (La.) were hoping to force a vote on their proposal to defund parts of the federal government tied to Obama’s recent executive actions on immigration. A Senate aide familiar with that plan said the quartet remained optimistic that there would be a vote. But Democrats are certain to try to block the conservatives, at which point it was unclear what might unfold. Senators could be stuck in Washington for several more days or be leaving for the holidays by Saturday.
But Democrats are certain to block such attempts, at which point it was unclear what might unfold. Once the spending bill is out of the way, senators still need to complete work on a package of proposed tax breaks, the reauthorization of a federally-backed terrorism insurance program and the confirmation of a final batch of Obama nominees to government posts. Senior Democratic aides warned that the year-end to-do list might force senators to reconvene for a few days next week. “There isn’t a lot of time” left to finish the spending bill, Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) warned on Friday morning as he announced his support for it.
Reid and GOP leaders were also struggling to wrap up work on other complex proposals, including a package of tax breaks, the reauthorization of a federally-backed terrorism insurance program and a batch of Obama nominees to government posts.
Legislation setting Pentagon policy for the next year was poised to easily pass Friday afternoon, and senators were expected to unanimously confirm two members of a federal broadcasting board and five ambassadors to places including Cabo Verde, Iceland and Palau.
On Friday, Obama reiterated his support for the spending bill, saying, “This, by definition, was a compromise bill.”On Friday, Obama reiterated his support for the spending bill, saying, “This, by definition, was a compromise bill.”
“Had I been able to draft my own legislation, get it passed without any Republican votes, I suspect it would be slightly different,” he said later. “That is not the circumstance we find ourselves in, and I think what the American people very much are looking for is responsible governance and the willingness to compromise.” “Had I been able to draft my own legislation, get it passed without any Republican votes, I suspect it would be slightly different,” the president said later. “That is not the circumstance we find ourselves in, and I think what the American people very much are looking for is responsible governance and the willingness to compromise.”
Passage of the spending bill and other unfinished business will be a victory for congressional Republicans, who were eager to wipe the slate clean before taking full control of Capitol Hill next year. The spending agreement also sets up what promises to be a three-month battle with Obama over the future of the nation’s immigration policy. Passage of the spending bill and other unfinished business would be a victory for congressional Republicans, who were eager to wipe the slate clean before taking full control of Capitol Hill next year. The spending agreement also sets up what promises to be a three-month battle with Obama over the future of the nation’s immigration policy.
Congress narrowly avoided another government shutdown on Thursday night when the House approved the bill by a vote of 219-to-206 with less than three hours before government funding expired. The House and Senate then agreed to a two-day extension to give senators more time to consider the bill.Congress narrowly avoided another government shutdown on Thursday night when the House approved the bill by a vote of 219-to-206 with less than three hours before government funding expired. The House and Senate then agreed to a two-day extension to give senators more time to consider the bill.
The result capped a long, acrimonious day in which House Democrats nearly upended the bill backed by Obama. The showdown exposed some of the dynamics on Capitol Hill in which the most liberal Democrats replaced the most conservative Republicans as significant obstacles to passing difficult fiscal legislation.The result capped a long, acrimonious day in which House Democrats nearly upended the bill backed by Obama. The showdown exposed some of the dynamics on Capitol Hill in which the most liberal Democrats replaced the most conservative Republicans as significant obstacles to passing difficult fiscal legislation.
The Democratic split led to a rare political role reversal as Republicans spent most of Thursday on the sidelines.
GOP support for the bill grew throughout the day, despite the objections of dozens of conservatives that the legislation would not punish Obama hard enough for using his executive authority to change immigration policy.
Rep. Bill Flores (R-Tex.), the incoming chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, said he would vote against the bill because “my constituents are telling me that they’re against it. I think that it would be hard to totally stop the president’s unlawful amnesty action, but I think we could try a little bit harder to fix it.”
Conscious of conservative concerns about immigration, Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) made a point of coming off the House floor to tell reporters that the bill would launch a showdown with the Obama administration on immigration reform early next year.
“That battle is going to be very viciously fought, not only in the House but in the Republican Senate,” he said before quickly hustling back onto the floor.
House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) especially was at ease as the final vote began. As he headed to the floor, he stopped and told reporters: “I’m a happy warrior.”
Sean Sullivan and Paul Kane contributed to this report.Sean Sullivan and Paul Kane contributed to this report.