US House Successfully Passes Major Spending Bill To Prevent Government Shutdown

In a crucial legislative step, the U.S. House of Representatives has successfully passed a comprehensive spending package, marking a significant effort to avert a potential government shutdown.

What Happened: The House’s recent action to pass a substantial spending package has been a pivotal move to thwart a government shutdown. The Hill reported that the legislation, designed to fund various federal departments through fiscal 2024, was passed on Wednesday.

The “minibus” package, extending over 1,000 pages, garnered a bipartisan majority of 339-85, with 207 Democrats and 132 Republicans voting in favor. This package allows over $450 billion to Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Energy departments.

Following the House’s approval, the Senate is poised to vote on the package this week, as indicated by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), to secure funding ahead of the impending Friday deadline. Despite the House’s advancement, the appropriations process has sparked division within the GOP, presenting challenges for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and resulting in several stopgap extensions.

Speaker Johnson, who has pushed for moving away from the conventional year-end omnibus spending bills, views this vote as a triumph. However, the upcoming funding bills due on Mar. 22, covering sensitive sectors such as Defense and Homeland Security, are expected to be more controversial, as noted by Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.).

The package, despite internal GOP disagreements, includes conservative victories like reductions in nondefense program funding and initiatives to address fentanyl. It also prohibits oil sales from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China and safeguards parental free speech at school board meetings.

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While some conservatives have criticized the package for its cost, lack of certain policy riders, and the procedural approach used to pass it, Democrats have praised the exclusion of numerous conservative policy riders.

Why It Matters: The House’s passage of the spending package reflects a concerted effort by Congress to maintain government operations and prevent the disruptions that a shutdown would cause. With the Senate’s anticipated vote on the House-passed package, lawmakers are working within a tight timeframe to finalize funding, thereby avoiding the harmful effects of a shutdown that Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged on the Senate floor.

A government shutdown has been a recurring threat in recent months. Speaker Mike Johnson’s firm stance on the spending deal, despite rising tensions within GOP ranks, has been pivotal in reaching this outcome.

The House’s recent move follows a reprieve in January, where a continuing resolution was passed to extend funding deadlines to early March. This stopgap measure was essential to keep the government running and prevent a shutdown, which was imminent if the bill had not been cleared.

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