US Senate Approves Three Bipartisan Appropriations Bills, According to Reuters

By Moira Warburton

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate approved three bills outlining funding plans for agriculture, military and veterans affairs, and transportation for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024.

Key Insights

Congress faces a deadline of November 17 to reach a funding agreement and prevent a partial government shutdown. The Senate and House of Representatives are pursuing notably different strategies. The Democratic-led Senate is focused on bipartisan legislation, while the Republican-led House is working on measures intended to pass with only the majority’s support.

Ultimately, the two chambers must find a common ground that can be signed into law by Democratic President Joe Biden. With time running out, lawmakers from both sides recognize the likelihood of needing to implement a stopgap measure known as a "continuing resolution."

Critical Statement

"The only way things get done in divided government is through bipartisanship," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer remarked after the vote. "The American people won’t support the futile exercise of passing partisan, extremist legislation that has no chance of becoming law, which is what the House is doing right now."

Key Figures

To fully fund the government through its fiscal year, Congress must approve 12 appropriations bills. Thus far, the House has passed only one appropriations bill, which is unlikely to succeed in the Senate or receive Biden’s approval due to its proposed policy changes and spending cuts. The three bills passed by the Senate on Wednesday garnered strong bipartisan support, with a vote of 82-15.

Background Context

Last month, Congress narrowly avoided a shutdown when the House passed a bipartisan continuing resolution, leading to a faction of hardline Republicans removing then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his position.

McCarthy’s replacement, Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, aims to push through three 2024 spending bills featuring substantial cuts this week to appease party hardliners before shifting focus to a continuing resolution, which he has indicated could extend until mid-January or mid-April.

The U.S. budget deficit reached $1.7 trillion last year, its highest level outside of the COVID-19 crisis, as increasing interest rates drove up borrowing costs.