The Senate has approved a $1.7 trillion spending bill by a vote of 68-29, with support from more than a dozen Republican lawmakers.
The Daily Signal provided a list of the 18 Republicans who voted in favor of the legislation:
- Roy Blunt, Missouri
- John Boozman, Arkansas
- Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia
- Susan Collins, Maine
- John Cornyn, Texas
- Tom Cotton, Arkansas
- Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
- Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma
- Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
- Jerry Moran, Kansas
- Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
- Rob Portman, Ohio
- Mitt Romney, Utah
- Mike Rounds, South Dakota
- Richard Shelby, Alabama
- John Thune, South Dakota
- Roger Wicker, Mississippi
- Todd Young, Indiana
Here are the three Republicans who did not vote:
- John Barasso, Wyoming
- Richard Burr, North Carolina
- Kevin Cramer, North Dakota
And here are the four Republican Senators who had previously voted to advance the bill switched their votes to oppose it, per Daily Signal:
- Tommy Tuberville, Alabama
- Marco Rubio, Florida
- Chuck Grassley, Iowa
- Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi
The bill includes $858 billion for defense, $787 billion for non-defense domestic programs, and nearly $45 billion for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
It also contains over 7,200 earmarks totaling over $15 billion.
The legislation funds the government for the remainder of the fiscal year and will now be sent to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is expected to hold a vote as soon as Thursday evening.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), said of the bill, “The bill is so important to get done because it will be good for families, for veterans, our national security, even for the health of our democratic institutions.”
While the bill received some Republican support, a number of Senate Republicans attempted to block the measure at the last minute, arguing that a GOP-controlled House could secure larger concessions from Joe Biden in January.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) stated, “Senate Republicans should instead support a short-term spending bill, allowing the new Congress – with the incoming Republican House – to start the spending process over again in January.”
Axios detailed key provisions in the bill as well as what it excluded:
Key provisions:
- Roughly $45 billion in aid to Ukraine’s war effort and NATO allies.
- A bipartisan deal to end a COVID-era Medicaid policy on April 1, 2023, provides more money to states and prevented them from dropping individuals from federally funded insurance.
- Passage of the Electoral Count Act, which clarifies the vice president’s role in certifying electoral college votes in a presidential election. The bipartisan bill was drafted in an effort to help prevent another Jan. 6-style attack on democracy.
- More than $38 billion in emergency disaster assistance for Americans in the West and Southeast affected by recent natural disasters — including hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and wildfires.
- $2.6 billion in funding for Jan. 6 legal efforts, including assistance “to further support prosecutions related to the January 6 attack on the Capitol and domestic terrorism cases.” It also includes $11.3 billion for the FBI’s efforts to curb extremist violence and domestic terrorism.
- Tax provisions aimed at preventing fraudulent tax breaks arising from land conservation deals and legislation to boost retirement savings in tax-advantaged accounts. The additions of both provisions follow uncertainty over whether there would be any tax title in the government funding bill at all.
- A 4.6% pay raise for military troops and a 22.4% increase in support for Veteran Administration medical care. It also includes roughly $55.7 billion to combat inflation and support critical services and housing assistance for veterans and their families, as well as $5 billion for the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund.
- Banning TikTok on federal devices.
- Directs U.S. Capitol Police to consider extending security for former House speakers for a year after they leave office. It also provides $2.5 million for a “residential security system program” for senators.
- An additional $25 million for the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) budget — a top priority for unions that brings their funding to more than $299 million.
- More funding for children’s mental health and for substance abuse, as well as additional funds to target the opioid epidemic.
- $576 million for the Environmental Protection Agency, bringing its funding up to $10.1 billion, and boosts the National Park Service’s funding by 6.4% to help the agency with an increase in visitation.
- $8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, a 30% increase in funding. The grant offers financial assistance to low-income families to afford child care.
What was excluded:
- Energy permitting reforms, a key priority for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).
- An extension of the enhanced Child Tax Credit.
- $9 billion to fight the COVID pandemic.
- The SAFE Banking Act, which would’ve granted the cannabis industry increased access to financial services.
- A bipartisan agreement on drug sentencing that would’ve tightened the sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine.
