On Thursday, the United States Senate voted to pass the $1.7 trillion omnibus package, which will fund the government through September as well as provide another $45 billion in aid to Ukraine and another $38 billion for emergency disaster assistance.
The legislation passed 68-29. The House is expected to pick the bill up and vote on Thursday evening, before sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed before the end of the day on Friday.
If the House does not pass the legislation, or it is not signed by end of the day Friday, there will be a government shutdown. However, the House is expected to pass it, and Biden is expected to sign it.
The Hill reports:
The omnibus bill represents one of several major bipartisan legislation accomplishments of President Biden’s first two years in office, along with the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, to address gun violence; and the $280 billion Chips and Science Act, to improve U.S. competitiveness with China.
It spends $858 billion on defense programs, a 9.7 percent increase, and $772.5 billion on non-defense, non-veterans-related programs, representing a 5.5 percent increase.
It also includes $118.7 billion for Veterans Affairs medical care, a 22 percent increase, and $59 billion for programs authorized by the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which Congress passed last year.
It provides $19.8 billion to arm and equip Ukrainian force and NATO allies and $12.9 billion to stabilize the Ukrainian economy and make up for shortfalls. Passage came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed a joint session of Congress to ask for continued American support.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has praised the bill, claiming that it is a victory for the GOP.
“The world’s greatest military will get the funding increase that it needs, outpacing inflation. Meanwhile, non-defense, non-veterans spending will come in below the rate of inflation, for a real-dollar cut,” the RINO said.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer heavily warned Congress that not passing the bill will run the risk of freezing federal funds into 2023.
“To go to a [continuing resolution] or even worse, a government shutdown, would be a huge disservice at any time, and particularly at holiday season, to the American people,” he said.
It sounds to me like many of our lawmakers simply voted for the bill to avoid a shutdown and get out of Congress in time for Christmas….which will likely end up screwing Americans over in the the big scheme of things.
