Biden Signs Bills as Senate Averts Shutdown with Funding Measures

The Senate passed a significant government spending package totaling approximately $460 billion, which will fund various federal departments and prevent a partial government shutdown. With a vote of 75-22, the legislation ensures continued operation of military construction, water development, and the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Energy, Interior, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development until the end of September.

This spending package was part of a larger appropriations process that was due more than five months prior and had been extended multiple times. The passage of the bill came just hours before the funding deadline, narrowly avoiding a shutdown. The legislation also incorporates $69 billion in adjustments and includes more than $12.6 billion in earmarks for projects in legislators' districts or states.

The Senate must now focus on passing the remaining appropriations bills before the March 22 deadline to fully complete the funding for the 2024 fiscal year. The package has been subject to criticism for its size and the inclusion of earmarks, but with the President's expected signature, the immediate risk of a government shutdown will be mitigated.