Congress Preps Vote on $1.5 Trillion Spending Bill to Avert Shutdown

After some haggling, congressional leaders have come to an agreement on a two-and-a-half thousand page omnibus spending bill.

That included a dramatic, last-minute decision by Speaker Pelosi to strip $16 billion in COVID relief from the bill after Democrats faced a revolt from within their own caucus for using funds from the American Rescue Plan to offset the cost of the latest round of COVID relief in the massive bill.

Many House Democrats took umbrage at that development, which they argued took money away from their districts that they had been promised.

A vote on the massive spending bill is expected in the House today as House and Senate Democrats prepare for their annual caucus retreats this weekend in Philadelphia. (RELATED: Crime Spikes in Vulnerable Democrats' Congressional Districts)

Per Roll Call:

The long-awaited package for the current fiscal year, which is nearly half over, would provide about $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending for all federal departments and agencies. It also resolves a monthslong partisan standoff over how to divvy up the budget pie between defense and nondefense programs.

Defense-related spending would rise by $42 billion, or 5.6 percent, over last year's level, to $782 billion. Nondefense spending would increase by $46 billion, or 6.7 percent, to $730 billion, according to a summary from House Appropriations Committee Democrats.

At least one pundit called the legislation a win for Republicans and Democrats. Democratic leaders came close to meeting GOP demands for “parity” between defense and non-defense spending. (RELATED: Biden's Gun Control Agenda Going Nowhere With Congressional Democrats in 2022)

Roll Call continues:

The package combines regular appropriations with $13.6 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine — a priority pushed by both parties. And it includes $15.6 billion in additional funding to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic — paid for by tapping unspent money from previous relief laws.

Although a growing number of conservative groups are urging Republican members of Congress to oppose the package, it seems likely to pass along with a short-term continuing resolution — that will keep the government running through March 15 should the package not reach President Biden's desk before Friday's deadline.

The Hill has more on Heritage Action's opposition to the bill, that representatives and their staff likely won't have time to read, much less digest.

Heritage Action cautioned conservatives against focusing on “small victories” like investments in the military and measures to pushback against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that spending “should not be held hostage by controversial non-defense policy and spending.”

The Senate will vote on the $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package promptly if it passes the House today. (RELATED: Inspector General Opens Investigation After Capitol Police Accused of Spying on Republican Members of Congress)