Summary of Congress’s $1.2 Trillion Funding Bill for Federal Government
Congress released a massive $1.2 trillion bill on Thursday to fund the rest of the federal government. The package, which runs more than 1,000 pages, would provide funding for various departments including Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State, and the legislative branch. Lawmakers have until the end of Friday to approve the bill to avoid a partial government shutdown.
The legislation would complete the funding of federal agencies through the fiscal year, which ends September 30. Earlier this month, Congress approved funding for other departments such as Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Food and Drug Administration, military construction, and other federal programs.
House Republicans and Democrats each provided summaries of what’s in the bill. Here are some key highlights from the bill:
Homeland Security: The package would provide nearly $62 billion in total discretionary resources for Homeland Security, with nearly $59 billion for non-defense programs and more than $3 billion for defense-related programs. The funding includes support for US Customs and Border Protection, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Transportation Security Administration.
Defense: The bill would provide $824 billion for defense, an increase of nearly $27 billion from the previous fiscal year. It includes a significant boost in basic military pay, allowances for housing and meals, and funding for suicide prevention and sexual assault programs. Additionally, $300 million would be allocated for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
State: The package would provide more than $58 billion for state, foreign operations, and related programs. It includes funding for US security commitments to Israel, international security assistance, and humanitarian assistance programs.
Education: The bill would provide $79 billion for the Department of Education, with significant funding for K-12 education, federal student aid programs, and historically Black colleges and universities.
Financial services and general government: The package includes $26 billion for financial services and general government, with funding for the Internal Revenue Service, disaster relief efforts at the Small Business Administration, and court security.
Labor: The bill would provide nearly $14 billion for the Labor Department, with funding for the Employment and Training Administration and worker protection agencies.
Health and Human Services: The bill would provide more than $117 billion for HHS, with funding for child care assistance, Head Start programs, energy assistance, and research on diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.
Congress: The bill would provide nearly $7 billion for the legislative branch, with funding for the United States Capitol Police to hire more officers and improve security measures.
Overall, the bill covers a wide range of government functions and programs, aiming to provide funding and support for various agencies and initiatives. Lawmakers will need to act quickly to approve the bill and prevent a government shutdown.