March 8 (UPI) — Hours earlier than a shutdown deadline, the Senate on Friday handed a $460 billion package deal of payments to maintain a slew of presidency companies funded by way of September.
Senators voted 75-22 to cross the six-bill package deal Friday night, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk. It is going to fund the the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Inside, Transportation, Housing and City Growth, Justice, Commerce, and Vitality, amongst different workplaces.
The Home accepted the invoice on Wednesday in a 339-85 vote.
“After months of laborious work, now we have excellent news for the nation: Tonight the Senate has reached an settlement avoiding a shutdown on the primary six funding payments,” Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer mentioned earlier than the vote. “We’ll hold vital packages funded for mothers and children, for veterans, for the surroundings, for housing, and a lot extra.”
The invoice’s passage within the Senate overcame dispute from Republicans demanding amendments on points similar to immigration. Any modification would have despatched the invoice again to the Home, with the decrease chamber already gone for the weekend, all however guaranteeing a authorities shutdown.
Senators got here to an settlement to vote on a number of amendments, none of which handed.
Republicans, nevertheless, touted some wins within the accepted spending, together with cuts to the FBI, Environmental Safety Company, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Lawmakers nonetheless face a March 22 deadline for the remaining six full-year spending payments that will fund areas such because the departments of Protection, Homeland Safety and Well being and Human Companies.
