Senate passes some spending bills before government shutdown deadline

WASHINGTON — The Senate approved a package of spending bills Friday ahead of a government shutdown deadline.

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The House sent the Senate the $460 billion package of six annual spending bills, according to The Associated Press. The measure now goes to President Joe Biden to sign into law.

The spending bills package was approved hours before a midnight deadline, the AP reported.

It is expected to help fund about 30% of the federal government over the next six months or so, according to The Washington Post.

The package passed by a 75-22 bipartisan vote. It will allow Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration departments, to remain in operation for the rest of the fiscal year which will end on Sept. 30, the Post reported.

“Because both sides cooperated today, we’ve taken a major step toward our goal of fully funding the government,” Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor, according to the Post. “Today’s bipartisan agreement gives us momentum and space to finish the remaining appropriations bills by March 22. Of course, it’s going to take both sides working together to keep that momentum alive.”

Another set of spending bills are still being negotiated and has a deadline of March 22, the AP reported.

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