Senate passes massive spending bill
Action puts border wall on hold, avoids a government shutdown
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday passed a shortterm spending bill that would keep the government running through Dec. 7, aiming to avert a government stutdown and put off a fight over funding for President Donald Trump’s border wall until after the midterm elections.
The short-term bill came attached to a massive budget package containing full-year 2019 funding for the Pentagon as well as for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education departments. GOP leaders designed the package to combine key Republican and Democratic priorities in an attempt to garner overwhelming bipartisan support. The package also aims to satisfy Trump’s desire for more military spending.
The 93-7 vote came less than two weeks ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline when government funding will expire unless Congress and Trump intervene.
The legislation would keep the government open by funding agencies, whose budgets Congress has not addressed before the shutdown deadline, at current levels through Dec. 7.
“This is necessary to ensure that we do not face a government shutdown in the event that we do not finish our work on the remaining bills,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The House is expected to take up the bill next week, but it remains uncertain whether Trump would sign the measure.
The legislation would not increase funding for the Homeland Security Department, which funds construction of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The president has toyed repeatedly with shutting down the government to try to get more funding for the border wall, at times saying there would not be a shutdown and other times saying he would welcome one. Congressional Republicans are convinced that a shutdown just ahead of the midterms would be disastrous.
Action on the seven outstanding spending bills can be delayed until Dec. 7 under the legislation the Senate passed Thursday, although congressional appropriators are still trying to finish work on four others by Sept. 30 — not including the one for the Homeland Security Department.
Even as congressional leaders of both parties praised Tuesday’s vote, some conservatives lamented the outcome.
“Congress’ annual spending bills will contain no new reforms protecting unborn children or getting federal taxpayers out of the abortion business,” said Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who was among the senators voting “no.”
The legislation also includes language sought by Democrats to address the issue of family separations at the border. Also included in the package is a short-term reauthorization, until Dec. 7, of the Violence Against Women Act. Democrats have sought a longer-term reauthorization.