Congress is moving quickly to pass a funding package that would end the longest federal shutdown in the nation’s history.The House is set to vote on Wednesday on a compromise bill after the Senate approved the package on Monday evening. Eight Democratic senators defied their party’s leadership to support the legislation, dropping their key demand that the legislation extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to lapse at year’s end.As part of the deal, the Senate will vote on the enhanced subsidies next month. Notably, the agreement with Republicans does not guarantee that the beefed-up assistance will be extended.Here’s what’s in the bill, based on summaries provided by Congress:Funding federal agenciesThe bill would provide funding for most federal agencies through Jan. 30.That means if the two parties can’t come to an agreement on another temporary spending measure or a package that funds agencies through the end of the fiscal year, much of the federal government could shut down again in less than three months.The legislation, however, provides full-year funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the legislative branch and military construction and veterans affairs. So these functions would continue even if an impasse reoccurs on Capitol Hill.Food assistanceThe legislation would fully fund the food stamp program for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was thrust into the spotlight during the shutdown after the USDA said it would not dip into a contingency fund to provide at least partial benefits for November. Legal battles ensued, resulting in some of the nation’s nearly 42 million food stamp beneficiaries receiving their full allocations over the past week, others receiving partial benefits and still others waiting for any assistance.The deal would also replenish SNAP’s contingency fund and fully funds child nutrition programs, including free and reduced-price school meals.Plus, it provides $8.2 billion for the WIC food assistance program, which serves roughly 7 million pregnant women, new moms and young kids. That’s a $603 million increase over the past fiscal year. WIC’s contingency fund would also be replenished.The legislation provides $460 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which supplies more than 700,000 low-income senior citizens with monthly food boxes.Congressional and Supreme Court securityConcerned about their own security and that of their staffs, lawmakers included $203.5 million in new funding to beef up security measures and protect members of the House and Senate in the package. It also provides funding to support Capitol complex physical security requirements and cybersecurity practices.The bill also includes $852 million for the U.S. Capitol Police and provides an additional $28 million for the protection and security of Supreme Court justices.Veterans medical careThe package provides $115 billion for discretionary Veterans Affairs’ medical care, a bump of more than $2.3 billion from the prior fiscal year. It includes funding for the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund, rural health, caregivers, women’s health, veterans’ homelessness prevention, mental health and child care.Federal workersThe legislation also guarantees retroactive pay for the roughly 1.4 million federal workers who were furloughed or worked without pay during the shutdown. Many have missed two full paychecks, as well as a partial one.Though President Donald Trump signed a bill during the 2018-2019 impasse that ensured federal workers would get back pay, the administration called into question whether furloughed employees would be compensated when this shutdown ended.The package also reverses several agencies’ efforts to implement staffing reductions during the shutdown, stating that workforce levels will return to what they had been prior to the lapse in appropriations. It also prevents additional layoffs of federal employees through January 30.At least seven agencies sent reduction-in-force notices to roughly 4,000 workers in October, though the actions were paused by a federal court.Notifying lawmakers under investigationThe deal includes a section that would require the Justice Department and FBI to notify the Senate when a lawmaker is under investigation and if their personal information is being subpoenaed.The language, tucked into one of the appropriations bills, comes after Senate Republicans released FBI records related to an investigation called Arctic Frost, which pertained to the fake elector scheme from 2020 where Trump allies pressured GOP electors to register electoral college votes for Trump from states that former President Joe Biden won.
Congress is moving quickly to pass a funding package that would end the longest federal shutdown in the nation’s history.
The House is set to vote on Wednesday on a compromise bill after the Senate approved the package on Monday evening. Eight Democratic senators defied their party’s leadership to support the legislation, dropping their key demand that the legislation extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to lapse at year’s end.
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As part of the deal, the Senate will vote on the enhanced subsidies next month. Notably, the agreement with Republicans does not guarantee that the beefed-up assistance will be extended.
Here’s what’s in the bill, based on summaries provided by Congress:
Funding federal agencies
The bill would provide funding for most federal agencies through Jan. 30.
That means if the two parties can’t come to an agreement on another temporary spending measure or a package that funds agencies through the end of the fiscal year, much of the federal government could shut down again in less than three months.
The legislation, however, provides full-year funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the legislative branch and military construction and veterans affairs. So these functions would continue even if an impasse reoccurs on Capitol Hill.
Food assistance
The legislation would fully fund the food stamp program for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was thrust into the spotlight during the shutdown after the USDA said it would not dip into a contingency fund to provide at least partial benefits for November. Legal battles ensued, resulting in some of the nation’s nearly 42 million food stamp beneficiaries receiving their full allocations over the past week, others receiving partial benefits and still others waiting for any assistance.
The deal would also replenish SNAP’s contingency fund and fully funds child nutrition programs, including free and reduced-price school meals.
Plus, it provides $8.2 billion for the WIC food assistance program, which serves roughly 7 million pregnant women, new moms and young kids. That’s a $603 million increase over the past fiscal year. WIC’s contingency fund would also be replenished.
The legislation provides $460 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which supplies more than 700,000 low-income senior citizens with monthly food boxes.
Congressional and Supreme Court security
Concerned about their own security and that of their staffs, lawmakers included $203.5 million in new funding to beef up security measures and protect members of the House and Senate in the package. It also provides funding to support Capitol complex physical security requirements and cybersecurity practices.
The bill also includes $852 million for the U.S. Capitol Police and provides an additional $28 million for the protection and security of Supreme Court justices.
Veterans medical care
The package provides $115 billion for discretionary Veterans Affairs’ medical care, a bump of more than $2.3 billion from the prior fiscal year. It includes funding for the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund, rural health, caregivers, women’s health, veterans’ homelessness prevention, mental health and child care.
Federal workers
The legislation also guarantees retroactive pay for the roughly 1.4 million federal workers who were furloughed or worked without pay during the shutdown. Many have missed two full paychecks, as well as a partial one.
Though President Donald Trump signed a bill during the 2018-2019 impasse that ensured federal workers would get back pay, the administration called into question whether furloughed employees would be compensated when this shutdown ended.
The package also reverses several agencies’ efforts to implement staffing reductions during the shutdown, stating that workforce levels will return to what they had been prior to the lapse in appropriations. It also prevents additional layoffs of federal employees through January 30.
At least seven agencies sent reduction-in-force notices to roughly 4,000 workers in October, though the actions were paused by a federal court.
Notifying lawmakers under investigation
The deal includes a section that would require the Justice Department and FBI to notify the Senate when a lawmaker is under investigation and if their personal information is being subpoenaed.
The language, tucked into one of the appropriations bills, comes after Senate Republicans released FBI records related to an investigation called Arctic Frost, which pertained to the fake elector scheme from 2020 where Trump allies pressured GOP electors to register electoral college votes for Trump from states that former President Joe Biden won.
