The Senate has passed a $1.1 trillion 1,665-page spending bill that funds the government through September and averts a government shutdown for a second time. The bill has gone to President Trump’s desk for his signature in order to avert a midnight today shutdown deadline. The White House has said the President will sign the bill.
The Senate vote was 79-18 and no Democrats voted against it. The bill passed the House by a vote of 309-118 with 103 of the chamber’s conservative Republicans opposing the bill. Congressional Republicans, motivated in great measure by fear of a politically damaging government shutdown, worked closely with Democrats to reach an agreement and produce the bill. The threat of a filibuster in the Senate and conservative opposition in the House meant they had to lean on Democrats to pass the legislation even though they have the first unified GOP government in a decade.
The legislation does not include some of the Trump administration’s top priorities such as funding for the wall along the U.S. and Mexico border, funding restrictions for Planned Parenthood, and punishing “sanctuary cities.” The bill does include $15 billion in additional Pentagon spending and $1.5 billion in emergency border security funds. The bill also increases spending for NASA; medical research, and the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies.
Lawmakers will face another government funding bill in the fall.
