The Senate has passed a six-bill package to fund parts of the federal government through September, narrowly avoiding a partial shutdown. The bill was sent to President Biden’s desk before a midnight deadline, with Republicans delaying its passage by demanding amendment votes on immigration-related and other measures. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed optimism about the bipartisan agreement and the momentum it provides to fully fund the government by March 22.
The House had previously passed the package, with Democrats providing the majority of the votes needed for passage. Conservatives opposed recent funding extensions that lacked their preferred spending cuts and policy riders. The White House announced that shutdown preparations had ceased, as Congress had passed the relevant appropriations and President Biden was expected to sign the bill shortly. The latest measure covers agriculture, energy, housing, transportation, veterans, and the Justice Department through the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
Congress has until March 22 to pass the remaining six spending bills to fully fund the government for the same timeframe. The second package, including funding for the Defense, State, and Homeland Security departments, is expected to face more contention. Resolving this spending fight would shift Congress’s focus to approving next year’s appropriations bills. Representative Rosa DeLauro expressed confidence in meeting the March 22 deadline, noting that the bills are in various stages of progress.
The current six-bill package includes cuts to several agencies, which were celebrated by House Speaker Mike Johnson but criticized by the conservative House Freedom Caucus for not addressing Republican policy priorities. Democrats were able to secure investments in infrastructure and programs for veterans, while also fully funding a nutrition program for low-income women, infants, and children known as WIC. The passage of these bills marks progress in keeping the government funded and avoiding a shutdown.
Caitlin Yilek, a politics reporter based in Washington, D.C., contributed reporting to this article. She has previously worked for publications such as the Washington Examiner and The Hill and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation. Yilek’s coverage of the Senate’s passage of the funding package highlights the bipartisan cooperation needed to keep the government functioning and the challenges that lie ahead in passing additional spending bills to fully fund federal operations.
