Congress turns to $1.7-trillion funding bill to avert government shutdown

Washington DC - Congressional negotiators unveiled a $1.7-trillion government funding bill early Tuesday as lawmakers seek to reach an agreement on 2023 spending before the end of the year.

Congressional negotiators have released a $1.7-trillion appropriations bill to fund the government through September 2023 and avoid a shutdown.
Congressional negotiators have released a $1.7-trillion appropriations bill to fund the government through September 2023 and avoid a shutdown.  © SAUL LOEB / AFP

It wouldn't be holiday season on the Hill without a down-to-the-wire race to pass a funding bill and avoid a government shutdown.

In the wee hours of Tuesday, congressional lawmakers released an appropriations package calling for $772.5 billion in non-defense discretionary spending and $858 billion in military spending for 2023, as agreed upon in the budget set in the National Defense Authorization Act.

The funds include $45 billion in military support for Ukraine, $38 billion for emergency disaster relief, and additional investments in health care and research, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, affordable housing, and Pell Grants for low-income students to attend colleges and universities.

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If passed, the appropriations bill would fund the government through September 2023, when the fiscal year comes to a close.

Bill contains measures for electoral integrity

The bill also includes reforms to the 1887 Electoral Count Act to specify that the vice president cannot overturn presidential election results when Congress counts Electoral College votes.

It also requires at least one-fifth of the House and Senate to agree to consider a challenge to a state's results.

The measure is a response to the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol fueled by former president Donald Trump's false claims that voter fraud robbed him of reelection.

Congress faces tight deadline to pass funding bill

Congress faces a deadline of Friday at midnight if it wants to avoid a possible government shutdown over the holidays.
Congress faces a deadline of Friday at midnight if it wants to avoid a possible government shutdown over the holidays.  © REUTERS

Lawmakers face a deadline of Friday at midnight if they want to avoid a possible government shutdown over the holidays.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has already said that if the bill doesn't get enough Republican support, he will propose a stopgap funding measure to get through until 2023. That would give the GOP more leverage in negotiations when they take control of the House in January.

Senate Democrats will require the support of at least 10 Republicans to pass the appropriations bill and send it to the House.

Cover photo: SAUL LOEB / AFP

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