Thread: Lawmakers reach deal on $1.07 trillion spending bill to fund gov't through September

Lawmakers reach deal on $1.07 trillion spending bill to fund gov't through September

Published May 01, 2017 Fox News

Republican and Democratic lawmakers have forged a $1.07 trillion spending package that would fund the government through the end of September, Fox News has learned.

The House and Senate have until 11:59 p.m. Friday to approve the bill, which would avert a government shutdown. If passed, the catchall spending bill would be the first major piece of bipartisan legislation to advance during President Donald Trump's short tenure in the White House.

The measure is assured of winning bipartisan support in votes this week, but it's unclear how much support the measure will receive from GOP conservatives and how warmly it will be received by the White House.

"This agreement is a good agreement for the American people, and takes the threat of a government shutdown off the table,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-.NY., said in a statement. “The bill ensures taxpayer dollars aren't used to fund an ineffective border wall, excludes poison pill riders, and increases investments in programs that the middle-class relies on, like medical research, education, and infrastructure.”

The proposed legislation has no funding for Trump's oft-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but does set aside $1.5 billion for border security measures such as additional detention beds. It does give Trump a $12.5 billion down payment on his request to strengthen the military, a figure which could rise to $15 billion should Trump present Congress with a plan for fighting the Islamic State terror group. The proposed $15 billion amounts to half of Trump's original $30 billion request.

It also rejects White House budget director Mick Mulvaney's proposals to cut popular programs such as funding medical research and community development grants.

Among the final issues resolved was a Democratic request to help the cash-strapped government of Puerto Rico with its Medicaid burden, a top priority of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Pelosi and other Democrats came up short of the $500 million or so they had sought but won $295 million for the island, more than Republicans had initially offered.

"From the beginning, Democrats have sought to avert another destructive Republican government shutdown, and we have made significant progress improving the omnibus bill,” Pelosi said in a statement.

The bill also maintains federal money for Planned Parenthood, and Democrats praised a $2 billion funding increase for the National Institutes of Health -- rejecting the steep cuts proposed by Trump -- as well as additional funding to combat opioid abuse, fund Pell Grants for summer school and additional transit funding.

A provision extending health care for 22,000 retired Appalachian coal miners and their families was on track to provide permanent health benefits, a priority of Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other Appalachia region lawmakers.

Republicans had pressed for policy wins with so-called riders related to other abortion-related issues and blocking environmental regulations such as Obama's sweeping expansion of the Clean Water Act. They also hoped to chuck new financial rules. But Democrats pushed back, rejecting a whopping 160 items they deemed "poison pills," though House Republicans succeeded in funding another round of private school vouchers for students in Washington, D.C.'s troubled school system.

The measure also taps $68 million to reimburse New York City and other local governments for costs involved in protecting Trump Tower and other properties, a priority of lawmakers such as Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y.

Fox News' Chad Pergram and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017...september.html