Congress passed the vote on a 4,155-page, $1.7 trillion government omnibus funding bill which is going to be funding the government for the remainder of the 2023 fiscal year. The omnibus funding package consists of 12 annual appropriations bills.
After months of inaction on Congress passing a funding bill, there are a number of issues that this bill is expected to fend off.
The bill sets forth an increase in defense spending with $858 billion spent on defense. This figure would fall in line with the National Defense Authorization Act which passed through Congress earlier this month.
In terms of aid given to Ukraine, the bill sets aside more than $45 billion which will be used for that purpose. This figure is higher than the one that the White House had previously considered, but it is meant to provide enough funding for when the GOP-led house potentially chooses to reduce aid since many conservatives have been critical of aiding in the war.
Prior to the release of the package Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) had stipulated that there would also be an appearance made by the Electoral Count Reform Act which will help further clarify that the vice President is not able to overturn elections.
Lawmakers have been working towards passing these reforms since Jan. 6, 2021, when the U.S. Capitol was attached.
Disaster relief also makes an appearance in the funding bill with $40 billion put aside to assist communities that have suffered from natural disasters according to a legislative summary from Senate Appropriations Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).
