President Joe Biden signed a massive $1.2 trillion spending package into law over the weekend, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown after months of contentious negotiations in Congress. The bill, which the House unveiled just two days prior, passed both chambers despite disagreements and delays that pushed the process beyond the original September 30 deadline for funding Fiscal Year 2024 (FY2024).
The spending package, which Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) worked with Democrats to pass in the House with a vote of 286 to 134, faced hurdles in the Senate as lawmakers debated holding votes for amendments. However, just before midnight, the bill gained momentum and eventually passed with 74 senators in favor and 24 against.
In a statement following the bill’s signing, Biden acknowledged that the legislation “represents a compromise,” with both sides winning and losing ground in the negotiations. Conservatives secured several concessions, including provisions preventing a ban on gas stoves and prohibiting the use of federal funds for abortions. The bill also allocates $20 billion to US Customs and Border Protection for hiring more agents and combating the fentanyl crisis, as well as $10 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for transporting and removing undocumented immigrants.
The passage of the spending bill has not come without controversy, however. Shortly after the House approved the measure, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) filed a motion to remove Speaker Johnson from his leadership position, echoing a similar move last year when then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) worked with Democrats to pass the spending bill. Greene later clarified that her action was more of a warning, but maintained that “it’s time for our conference to choose a new speaker.” If Greene presses forward with a vote, it would not take place for at least two weeks due to the lawmakers’ Spring recess.
The spending bill saga has highlighted the deep divisions within Congress and the challenges of reaching consensus on crucial fiscal matters. While the eleventh-hour deal has averted a government shutdown, it remains to be seen how the compromise will be received by both parties’ constituents and whether it will have lasting implications for the political landscape in Washington.
