Senate Passes Monster Spending Package With Backing From 18 Republicans
Posted by M. C. on December 23, 2022
The $1.7 trillion bill is loaded with earmarks, carveouts, and favors for numerous lawmakers. The bill also contains provisions such as $410 million in funding for border security for the countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman. That provision was pointed out by Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) as an example of questionable spending.
The bill also contains $1.2 million for “LGBTQIA+ Pride Centers,” $477,000 for the Equity Institute in Rhode Island “to indoctrinate teachers with ‘antiracism virtual labs,’” and $3 million for the American LGBTQ+ Museum, according to The Heritage Foundation.
By Tim Pearce
The Senate passed a $1.7 trillion spending package Thursday on a 68-29 vote, with 18 Republicans joining Democrats to push the massive omnibus over the line.
Congressional leaders are rushing to get the bill through Congress and to President Joe Biden’s desk before the federal government hits its Friday deadline and runs out of funding. Congress passed a stopgap funding measure, known as a continuing resolution, last week to fund the government up until the day before Christmas Eve.
The Republican senators who voted to pass the bill include Roy Blunt of Missouri, John Boozman of Arkansas, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mitt Romney of Utah, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Richard Shelby of Alabama, John Thune of South Dakota, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and Todd Young of Indiana.
Senior lawmakers unveiled the text of the 4,155-page omnibus bill in the early morning hours on Tuesday. The Senate voted 70-25 on Tuesday to move the bill through a procedural vote to begin debate, easily clearing the 60-vote threshold. Only 51 votes were required to pass the bill.
The spending package has faced outspoken opposition from a group of conservatives in the Senate, as well as public criticism from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a leading contender to be the next House speaker.
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