US Senate to hold overnight vote on spending bill meant to avert government shutdown

WASHINGTON — The US Senate is inching closer to passage of a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills after reaching agreement on a series of proposed amendment votes, though a final vote on passage was set to occur after a midnight funding deadline.

Prospects for a short-term government shutdown had appeared to grow after Republicans said Democrats had rejected their requests for votes on several amendments on border security and other issues. Any successful amendments to the bill would send the legislation back to the House, which has already left town for a two-week recess.

But shortly before midnight Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a breakthrough.

“It’s been a very long and difficult day, but we have just reached an agreement to complete the job of funding the government,” Schumer said. “It is good for the country that we have reached this bipartisan deal. It wasn’t easy, but tonight our persistence has been worth it.”

While Congress has already approved money for Veterans Affairs, Interior, Agriculture and other agencies, the bill at issue is much larger, providing funding for the Defense, Homeland Security and State departments and other aspects of general government.

The White House says it had a “high degree of confidence” the package would pass and US President Joe Biden will sign it Saturday.

The House had approved the package of spending bills earlier Friday, a long overdue action nearly six months into the budget year that would push any threats of a government shutdown to the fall.