While the House will probably pass it largely, as demonstrated by an accelerated method, it’s uncertain how fast it will pass the Senate.
On March 22, the House will vote on a$ 1.2 trillion spending package to fund 70 % of the government and prevent a partial shutdown.
While the House will likely pass it overwhelmingly, as demonstrated by the House’s expedited passage process, which calls for a two-thirds majority, in addition to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La. ). How quickly the Senate will vote on a bill that would require people to have 72 hours to examine policy before it is approved is unknown.
If no senator opposes the Senate’s ability to move the process along rapidly, the bill might pass.
Sen. Rand Paul ( R- Ky. ), a libertarian and spending hawk, has not ruled out slowing down the bill’s passage in the Senate, telling The Hill he would try to amend the package, which could result in delaying passing the bill on time.
The costs would finance the Departments of State, Defense, Treasury, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.
The Pentagon had obtain$ 825 billion —$ 27 billion more than in the 2023 governmental year—including$ 92 million more than requested by the Biden presidency to strengthen U. S. Indo- Pacific Command’s punishment amid the threat from China. There is$ 108 billion allocated for U. S. security cooperation with Taiwan and$ 300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which consists of training, equipment, and other means to aid Ukraine.
However, the spending bill does not include immediate money for Taiwan and Ukraine because Republicans have been forced to try to pass additional aid for Taipei and Kyiv because they want stricter border controls in exchange. A Senate act that included aid for Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan, and some distinct border security measures was blocked by the GOP.
As has been the case for the past few years, the monthly$ 3.3 billion for Israel is included in the act. This is in response to Israel’s most recent fight with Hamas, a terrorist organization.
The bill allocates$ 1.8 billion to the Treasury Department, minus the IRS, which would get$ 12.3 billion. The IRS’s budget may remain the same as it was for the fiscal year 2023.
Additionally, the IRS is prohibited from transferring more money from its records for enforcement by the appropriations costs.
Another Appropriations
The Department of Homeland Security ( DHS) would get$ 61.8 billion, a$ 1.1 billion increase over the 2023 fiscal year. The federal government had receive$ 400 million to stop the flow of fentanyl, a major issue as it travels through southern border via organizations and other means.
For asylum seekers ‘ processing and related reasons,$ 2.2 billion is provided by the costs.
As per a hard border protection act that was passed by the GOP-controlled House that was dying in the Democrat-controlled Senate, DHS will include 24 percent more rooms in detention centres for illegal immigrants and an extra 22, 000 Border Patrol agents. The money also covers 41, 500 detention rooms, also proposed under the previous House costs.
Afghan allies who aided the United States in the almost 20-year conflict in Afghanistan will also receive 12, 000 extra special immigrant visa, which will be granted in 2021 as the Biden presidency was furious about abandoning those allies who served in various capacities, including interpreters.
The Department of Health and Human Services would receive$ 116.8 billion, a$ 3.9 billion decrease from the 2023 fiscal year, though the National Institutes of Health would get$ 48.6 billion this year,$ 300 million more than last year.
The Education Department would get$ 79.1 billion, a$ 500 million decrease from the 2023 fiscal year.
The State Department and U. S. Agency for International Development would get$ 11.8 billion, a$ 5.6 billion increases from the 2023 fiscal year.
This includes$ 300 million for Taiwan and conditions help to Gaza, which Hamas controls.
The U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ( UNRWA ) received no funding through March 2025. What UNRWA has received criticism for teaching anti-Jewish values in institutions has received criticism from reviewers.
Moreover, the bill also includes$ 200 million for the new FBI headquarters, which will be built just outside Washington in Greenbelt, Maryland—a contentious issue for Republicans.
No All Satisfied
Despite the anticipated enormous support it will receive in both the House and Senate, it was agreed to be passed by both Democrats and Republicans, preventing a limited government shutdown.
” We’re in a bad position. And it’s a terrible process, but we’re in a bad position because formerly we’ve done things we ought not to have done. And I believe we need to push back on the Senate”, Rep. Morgan Griffith ( R- Va. ) told The Epoch Times.
” But do we push up on this moment in history? Definitely not”, he continued. However,” we need to be laying the groundwork for a forthcoming agreement where we have some authority to direct the Senate.”
Finally, it does not appear that Mr. Johnson’s speakership is in jeopardy, whereas his predecessor, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy ( R- Calif. ), was stripped of the gavel after pushing through a spending bill.
” If we vacate this speaker, we’ll end up with a Democrat speaker”, said Rep. Matt Gaetz ( R- Fla. ), who led the push to oust Mr. McCarthy.
Rep. Eli Crane ( R- Ariz. ), who was one of the members who voted to oust Mr. McCarthy from the speaker’s chair, said he would be against doing the same to Mr. Johnson.
A$ 460 billion bill was signed by President Biden earlier this month to account 30 percent of the state, including the Justice Department and the Department of Transportation.
Joseph Lord wrote this document, as well.