The Senate steps closer to passing major spending deal ahead of its deadline
With a looming Friday deadline to fund the government, the Senate is voting on a nearly $1.7 trillion government funding bill.
"We have an agreement now. We will vote on all of the amendments in order and then vote on final passage," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said from the Senate floor Thursday morning. "It's taken a while, but it is worth it and I appreciate the cooperation of everyone here."
Schumer added he's hoping for a quick series of votes on agreed amendments, asking for Senators' help in voting expeditiously, as lawmakers want to head home for the holidays without getting derailed by the approaching winter storm.
"Please cooperate and no appointments far away — we're going to vote quickly, 10 minute votes on each [amendment]," he told members.
If the Senate approves the plan, it will then be sent over to the House before reaching President Biden's desk. The deadline to avoid a government shutdown is Friday at midnight.
The plan funds the military and government agencies — including pay raises for service members and government workers — as well as emergency aid to areas struck by public disasters and aid for Ukraine.
The bill also makes changes to the 1887 Electoral Count Act, aimed at making it more difficult to block the certification of a presidential election. [Copyright 2022 NPR]
