The House will vote on a nearly $1 trillion spending package next week as the first of several appropriations measures that Democrats want to pass to avert automatic spending cuts and a possible government shutdown this fall when a new fiscal year begins, CQ reported Wednesday.
The bill, including a $733 billion defense topline, combines five of the 12 annual spending bills in an attempt to speed up the appropriations process in advance of looming budget negotiations over the summer.
The spending bills include an overall $1.295 trillion fiscal 2020 discretionary spending limit that the House approved under a “deeming” resolution in April.
Senate and House leaders have begun negotiations to a reach a budget agreement and avoid a fall shutdown, but a deal could take weeks or months before finalizing, according to the CQ report.
“This package is the first step toward the House doing its work,” House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), said on the floor Wednesday.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said reaching a bipartisan budget deal will require both parties agreeing on overall discretionary spending limits.
“If we want to avoid a shutdown, the best way to do it is to work with both parties,” Scalise said in response to Hoyer’s floor comments.
Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Michelle Gonzalez