Senate approves $1.7 trillion spending bill to avoid government shutdown, aid Ukraine

Judy Woodruff:

With Congress coming down to the wire to keep government open, there were questions today about whether the $1.7 trillion spending bill would be derailed in the Senate.

Well, it cleared that chamber earlier today and heads now to the House of Representatives, where a vote is expected tomorrow.

John Bresnahan is a veteran Capitol Hill reporter. He's been following the drama. He's the co-founder of the political news daily Punchbowl News.

John Bresnahan, welcome back to the "NewsHour."

So, how much suspense was there really over this bill?

John Bresnahan, Punchbowl News:

There wasn't a lot of suspense, though — in the final outcome, it was going to pass.

The question was when it was going to pass. This is a $1.7 trillion piece of legislation. It's 4,100 pages' long. Nobody's actually read the whole thing. It's tremendously intricate. It's in — it's in legislative language. So you can't follow it completely, as you would just reading a book.

I mean, it's not something you can read easily. So, there was some doubt about timing. The final outcome was not in doubt. It was a question, were they going to get it done this week, before Christmas, or were they going to get it done next week? That was the real question here.

Judy Woodruff:

And a lot of members of Congress in the Senate do want to go home for Christmas, no doubt about it.

So, John, just remind us. I mean, we have touched on this, but just remind us, what are the main things that are paid for in this bill as it as it moves over now to the House?

John Bresnahan:

This is a — this is a — again, it's a huge piece of legislation.

There's $850 billion for this year, for F.Y.-2023, for the Pentagon and other national security agencies. There's $800 billion in domestic spending. So this covers the entire government. There's — as you mentioned in your lead-in, there's $45 billion in additional aid for Ukraine, in military and economic aid for Ukraine and NATO allies in the region as they deal with a Russian attack in Ukraine, the Russian war in Ukraine.

There's $40 billion in additional funding, economic aid, for here in the United States, disaster aid for fires, droughts, hurricanes, so when that goes across the country. So this legislation literally touches every American, and it will — it impacts every American, and it will impact millions of folks overseas as well.

Judy Woodruff:

What about in terms of the politics of this, which is, of course, always going to play a role?

Did one party or another come away with more of what it wanted than the other?

John Bresnahan:

You know, you have to say, Republicans, in this case, they had a very strong position. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wanted a big defense increase, and Republicans — and they pushed for it. There were a lot of Democrats who wanted that as well.

They worry about Ukraine. They worry about Taiwan. They worry about the rise of China as a military superpower. But there was a 10 percent increase in military spending. There was a — that was even a higher rate than the higher — than the rate of inflation.

There was an increase in domestic spending of just over 5 percent. But that's less than the rate of inflation. So, in a real sense, there was a cut or a semi-cut in real dollars for domestic spending.

What Republicans wanted to do the last couple of years, as the Democrats have insisted, if we raise defense spending, we're going to raise spending for domestic programs, and Republicans said, no, we're not going to do that anymore. We're not going to go along with that. They had some leverage here. They used it.

And so Republicans came away with a lot of victories in this bill. But, again, there's lots of money in there for domestic priorities that the Democrats want. For instance, there's $700 million for the Violence Against Women Act. That was a huge impact for Democrats.

They wanted more money for the National Labor Relations Board. They got $25 million more. So there's money in there for Democratic priorities. But I have to say, overall, Republicans did very well on — during these — the later part of these negotiations.

Judy Woodruff:

And, John, what were just some of the big-ticket items that did not make it in?

John Bresnahan:

Well, there was — there was a number of issues.

One was, for instance, Afghan Adjustment Act. This was an issue for helping Afghans who assisted the United States during the war. That was something that did not make it in. That was — there was a lot of debate over that.

Democrats had also pushed for an extension of the child tax credit, the enhanced child tax credit, which had happened — which was implemented during the pandemic. They wanted to extend this. This was not. Republicans blocked this.

So there was a lot of stuff that was left on — that was left on the cutting room floor here. One thing that did make it which was very important — and we have talked about this before — was Electoral College Reform Act.

And this is a reform in the role of vice president in certifying the Electoral College victory. It was very important to senators and members in both parties that we don't have a repeat of what happened in 2020, what led to the January 6 insurrection. And this legislation, once it's enacted, will help stop that.

Judy Woodruff:

And, John, just quickly remind us, for those of us who don't follow every nuance of what happens in Congress, Democrats now have a majority in both houses, but you're saying they were not able to work their will on everything they wanted here.

John Bresnahan:

No, and they're historically small majorities. Democrats have a two-seat majority in the House, 435 House members. They only have a two-seat majority. And it's a 50/50. Senate. It's been a 50/50 Senate the whole time.

This is the longest period in American history where we have had a 50/50 Senate. So they're — it's actually a tribute to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer what they have gotten done with centrist Democrats — centrist Republicans and moderate Democrats. They have been able to pass some significant legislation, but historically small, narrow margins here.

And it's a tribute to President Biden and the White House. They — I mean, they achieved a lot in this Congress.

And I briefly talked to Senator Chuck Schumer today. And he was ecstatic of what they have done over the last 24 months. And he just was really over the moon about what he's getting done. And he's able to send his members home having passed this legislation today.

Judy Woodruff:

And then it goes, of course, to the House. They will take a vote tomorrow, where it is expected to pass. Is that right, yes or no?

John Bresnahan:

That's — yes, ma'am, it is.

It's going to — it may actually slide later tonight. There was thought they could get it done tonight. There's some technical correct — technical problems they have to deal with…

Judy Woodruff:

Right.

John Bresnahan:

… just putting the legislation together. It could slide into tomorrow night, but it's going to pass.

Judy Woodruff:

Well, we know you're going to be up all night, or day, or whatever hour it is, following all of this.

John Bresnahan, thank you very much.