Senate Passes $1.2 Trillion Package to Avoid Partial Shutdown

The US Senate approved Saturday by a large majority a draft budget worth $1.2 trillion, which maintains government funding during the fiscal year that began six months ago, and sent it to President Joe Biden to sign it into law and spare the government a partial shutdown.

The approval came with a majority of 74 votes in favor and 24 against.

Funding for important federal agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, State and Treasury, will continue until September 30 after the project is approved in the Democratic-majority Senate.

But that did not include funding for most military aid to Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel, which was included in a different bill passed by the Senate and ignored by the Republican-led House.

Senate leaders spent hours yesterday, negotiating amendments to the draft budget, which were ultimately rejected. The delay led to the deadline being missed, which was midnight on Friday.

But the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a statement saying that agencies would not be asked to close their doors, as it expressed confidence that the Senate would quickly approve the bill, which is what actually happened.