House approves $459 billion in government spending, Senate vote crucial to avoid shutdown

On Wednesday March 6, the House approved a new government spending bill totaling $459 billion. The legislation passed by a 339 to 85 vote and is now headed to the Senate for further approval. The Senate must pass it by midnight Saturday to avoid a partial shutdown of crucial federal agencies.

Next Steps and Challenges

The bill, which was drafted by bipartisan leaders in both chambers, is now on the path to be funded for the next six months, preventing a government shutdown. However, another crucial deadline for a larger and more complex spending bill looms just over two weeks from now on March 22. Lawmakers are fiercely divided over how to fund these agencies and which policies to attach to the legislation.

2024 Fiscal Year Appropriations Process

Congress is finally on a realistic path to conclude the 2024 fiscal year appropriations process after extending the deadline four times due to disagreements within the House Republican conference that led to the historic ousting of then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

Challenges Faced by House Republicans

Far-right Republicans in the House had sought to significantly curtail spending and attach policies such as prohibiting funding for Planned Parenthood, slashing resources for the Education Department, enacting new immigration restrictions, and reducing funding for the White House’s climate agenda.

Speaker Mike Johnson's Defense

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been more direct in defending the pathway he’s charted to ensure the government does not shut down. He emphasized the importance of avoiding a shutdown, as a majority of Republicans recognize they would get blamed for it — a hefty political price during an election year where the GOP is fighting to keep and expand their two-vote majority.

President's State of the Union Address and International Impacts

Biden is set to confront the relative progress and brewing impasse during his State of the Union address Thursday, while also attempting to lay out his most direct pitch yet to voters for a second term. However, some of his priorities and Congress’s spending debates have become entangled with U.S. support for Ukraine and Israel, as well as immigration debates at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Funding for Federal Government

Wednesday’s bill funds roughly 30 percent of the federal government for the rest of the 2024 fiscal year, ending on Sept. 30. This includes crucial departments such as Justice, Transportation, Energy, Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, and government research functions.

Compromises and Agreements

The bill was the result of two bipartisan compromises in Washington. Last spring, Biden and McCarthy agreed to suspend the nation’s debt ceiling in exchange for restraining federal spending to $1.59 trillion in 2024. This deal faced substantial scrutiny and threats from far-right legislators, ultimately leading to McCarthy's ousting.

Policy Provisions and Legislation

Some Republicans were unhappy with the $1.7 trillion total spending and hoped to attach policy provisions to the legislation. These included limits on food stamp purchases, restrictions on abortion medication, and a ban on regulations on menthol-flavored cigarettes. However, most of these provisions did not make it into the final legislation, causing discontent among conservatives.

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