Early Tuesday morning, congressional leaders unveiled a $1.7 trillion spending plan that includes an additional large aid package for Ukraine, a nearly 10% increase in defense spending, and approximately $40 billion to assist communities across the country in recovering from drought, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.
The measure comprises approximately $772.5 billion for discretionary non-defense programs and $858 billion for defense spending.
Legislators are attempting to cram as many goals as possible into what will likely be the final major bill of the current Congress. They are rushing to pass the package by the midnight deadline on Friday, or face the possibility of a partial government shutdown during the Christmas holiday. Tuesday morning, just before 2:00 a.m., the bill’s specifics were made public by the negotiators.
The United States has already provided Ukraine with approximately $68 billion in military, economic, and humanitarian support. President Joe Biden has requested an increase of about $37 billion. Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has stated that the budget package includes approximately $45 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine.
President Biden and other members of the Democratic Party advocate for the addition of billions to Ukraine aid.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) stated, “Completing the omnibus is crucial, absolutely crucial, for assisting our allies in Ukraine.”
Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, has warned that if the fiscal year 2023 spending bill fails to receive bipartisan backing this week, he will seek another short-term patch until next year, ensuring that the incoming Republican majority in the House will have the opportunity to shape the package.
In releasing the bill, Leahy argued against this strategy, stating, “The decision is plain. We may either fulfill our responsibilities and pay the government, or we can forsake them without a viable alternative.”
Despite the warning, McConnell presented the longer-term spending bill as a GOP success, despite the certainty that many will vote against it. He stated that Republicans were successful in increasing defense spending much beyond Biden’s proposal while reducing a portion of the domestic expenditure increase Biden desired.
McConnell has portrayed the longer-term spending bill as a significant Republican victory.
McConnell stated, “Congress is rejecting the vision of the Biden administration and doing the exact opposite.”
The bill’s introduction was delayed by wrangling over language about the future site of the FBI’s headquarters. Legislators from Maryland have stated that ensuring majority-Black communities receive their fair share of government expenditures should be weighed more heavily throughout the selection process. They advocate for constructing the headquarters in one of two locations in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
In September, the General Services Administration issued a site selection plan based on five criteria, with proximity to the FBI training academy in Quantico, Virginia being the most highly weighted at 35%. At 15%, advancing equity was weighted.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, stated at a recent discussion that an executive order issued by Vice President Joe Biden early in his administration underlined that the issue of racial justice must be the responsibility of the entire government.
Legislators are rushing to adopt the package by Friday at midnight or face the possibility of a partial government closure during the Christmas holiday.
Van Hollen stated, “I would argue that the GSA and FBI have not gotten the message, given the minimal weight they have assigned to this element.”
Schumer tried to include language in the spending bill mandating the GSA administrator have “separate and detailed consultations” with senators representing the Maryland and Virginia locations to obtain their opinions, according to a Senate Democratic aide with knowledge of the negotiations.
The legislative body is nearing completion of the 2023 budget plan roughly three months behind schedule. It was expected to be completed by the beginning of the government’s fiscal year on October 1, 2017.
President Joe Biden has sought help for Ukraine in excess of $37 billion, while other members of Congress are clamoring for more.
The last time Congress had passed all of its spending legislation by then was in 1996, when the Senate completed its work on September 30, the final day of the fiscal year. On the same day, then-President Bill Clinton signed it.
The Senate is anticipated to vote on the spending package first, requiring the support of at least 10 Republican senators for passage before the House considers the proposal. As was the case with recent “catch-all” budget bills, legislators expressed worry about the expedited passage of legislation including thousands of pages.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) tweeted, “We still haven’t seen a single page of the Pelosi-Schumer funding measure, yet they expect us to pass it by the end of the week.” It’s absurd.
»Legislators introduce a bill to avert a government shutdown and bolster Ukraine«