The House passed two giant spending bills Tuesday providing $1.4 trillion to fund the U.S. government through September and avoid a government shutdown after current funding runs out Friday.
The bill to fund defense-related departments passed on a 280-138 vote. The other, to fund non-defense agencies and extend a number of expiring tax breaks, passed on a 297-120 vote. The spending bills are the product of weeks of bipartisan talks, and they now head to the Senate where they are expected to pass.
President Donald Trump “is poised to sign” the bills, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said Tuesday. The president last year encouraged Republicans to hold out for more taxpayer money to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, leading to a 35-day partial government shutdown.
“This legislation makes a robust investment in rebuilding our military and secures significant funds for the president’s border wall system,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby, a Republican from Alabama. “Our hard work over the past few months has ensured a bipartisan path forward to complete our fiscal year 2020 appropriations process.”
The spending deal provides $1.375 billion for Trump’s southern border wall -- much less than the nearly $9 billion the president sought -- and allows him to raid military accounts for more funding over Democratic objections. Democrats did not agree to replenish military construction funds that Trump redirected to wall construction after the shutdown ended earlier this year.
Democrats are also touting an increase in discretionary spending by $44 billion, compared with current levels.
“All Democrats can take great pride in this strong appropriations package, which achieves critical victories for the health, financial security and well-being of the American people,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.
Extra Provisions
The defense-related bill is H.R. 1158; the non-defense measure is H.R. 1865.
The bills are loaded with extra provisions sought by lobbyists -- including extensions of tax breaks and the repeal of some taxes to fund the Affordable Care Act. The measures tax provisions are expected to add $426 billion to budget deficits over the next decade.