Staff Reports
The House of Representatives just barely managed to hand off its massive $1.2 trillion spending bill, with lawmakers getting their act together at the eleventh hour to avoid a potential government shutdown. While the legislation squeaked through the House by a 286-134 vote, it’s important to note that less than half of the GOP conference actually supported the measure. That’s right, folks – the Republicans weren’t too keen on this one.
#BREAKING: House passes final spending bills over Republican opposition https://t.co/2AAXwIGB5a pic.twitter.com/PnRLj3AscS
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 22, 2024
The so-called “minibus” bill wraps up funding for six key government spending bills, covering a whopping 70% of the federal government. The bill, which basically covers everything from the Department of Defense to Homeland Security, has been celebrated as a bipartisan victory by the establishment, but not everyone is clinking their glasses just yet.
You see, the behind-the-scenes negotiations on this gargantuan spending bill left many Republican lawmakers feeling like they were dealt a bad hand, with some calling the whole thing a “failure of leadership.” These hard-liners argue that House Speaker Mike Johnson dropped the ball, leaving key GOP priorities out in the cold while crafting this monster of a bill.
On the bright side, Republicans are patting themselves on the back for scoring some wins on border security, securing increased funding for border agents, technology, and even giving a big ol’ cut to organizations that help immigrants with transportation and food vouchers. It’s like a Black Friday deal, but for border security!
Meanwhile, the Democrats managed to keep some of the Republicans’ border priorities out of the bill, scoring a win for themselves. And let’s not forget their victory in excluding funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians.
Now, the ball’s in the Senate’s court, and President Joe Biden’s waiting on the sidelines with his pen ready to make it rain signatures. But hold on to your hats, folks, because if even one senator has a bone to pick with this spending spree, it could delay the whole shebang and bring us dangerously close to a government shutdown at the stroke of midnight. Yikes! Crisis averted, or just kicking the can down the road? You be the judge.
