The House on Wednesday passed a $460 billion spending bill to fund about half the federal government through the fall, moving to avert a partial shutdown at the end of the week and offering the first glimmer of resolution to bitter spending fights that have consumed Congress for many months. The 339-to-85 vote capped months of heated negotiations over federal funding that have repeatedly pushed the government to the edge of shutdown as Republicans pressed for unrealistic cuts and conservative policies that are out of step with most Americans. It was yet another instance in which Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) was forced to steer around the opposition of the hard right and turn to Democrats to supply the bulk of the votes for critical legislation to keep the government running. The Senate was expected to take up and pass the bill easily, sending it to President Joe Biden in time for it to become law before a midnight deadline on Friday. The measure would package together six spending bills, extending funding through September 30th for dozens of federal programs covering agriculture, energy and the environment, transportation, housing, the Justice Department and veterans. Top lawmakers were still negotiating spending bills for the other half of the government over the same period, including for the Pentagon, which Congress must pass by March 22nd to avert a lapse in funding.
With President Biden giving his final State of the Union address before the election tonight at 9:00 P.M., the House and Senate will convene today for the Senate to wrap up work on the government funding bill, and for the House to consider two bills.
The Senate is also expected to take up S.3853, Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act and work on confirmation of the nomination of Adrienne Jennings Noti to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years.
The House will consider H.R. 7511 – Laken Riley Act and H.R. 3843 – Action for Dental Health Act of 2023.
