President Joe Biden and congressional leaders have agreed on the final set of spending bills for this fiscal year, paving the way to avoid a partial government shutdown. However, time is of the essence as legislative staff needs to finalize the bill text, with funding for key agencies expiring at midnight on Friday. Biden has committed to signing the bill package as soon as it reaches his desk, emphasizing the urgency for swift action by lawmakers.
The completion of the final spending bills faced a setback over funding for the Department of Homeland Security but was ultimately resolved late Monday. Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries confirmed that the relevant committees are working on drafting the bill text for consideration by the full House and Senate. The total expected spending measures amount to about $1.65 trillion, with the passage of the first portion of spending bills earlier in the year representing approximately 30% of discretionary spending.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise anticipates the unveiling of legislative text by Wednesday and a House vote by Friday to meet the looming government funding deadline. The spending packages are projected to provide increased funding for defense while maintaining nondefense spending at similar levels to the previous year. One notable provision in the bill is the allocation of 12,000 special immigrant visas for eligible Afghans who assisted Americans during the war in Afghanistan, a move that has garnered support from advocacy groups and veterans.