US government unveils funding package ahead of shutdown deadline

By Clare Foran, Kristin Wilson and Priscilla Alvarez CNN

(CNN) — Lawmakers unveiled a $1.2 trillion government funding package on Thursday,setting up a high-stakes sprint to pass the legislation as a shutdown deadline looms at the end of the week.

It’s not yet clear if lawmakers will be able to pass the legislation ahead of Friday’s deadline, raising concerns on Capitol Hill that there could be a short-term lapse in government funding over the weekend.

With the release of the legislative text that’s more than 1,000 pages,the House and Senate are now facing a major time crunch to get the legislation across the finish line. A number of critical government operations need to be funded by the end of the day on Friday, March 22, including the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State and the legislative branch.

The package provides $19.6 billion for Customs and Border Protection, a $3.2 billion increase above fiscal year 2023, and includes $495 million for additional Border Patrol agents, which the Biden administration has repeatedly called for. It does not add funding for the border wall.

The package also provides almost $90 billion in discretionary funding to the Department of Homeland Security, bolstering funding for additional resources. It funds 41,500 detention beds, which is more than the previous fiscal year and Biden’s request, according to the GOP summary. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement had recently drafted plans to wind down detention space, and as a result, release migrants, to cover their budget shortfall.

The bill also increases Department of Defense funding, providing $824.3 billion, an increase of $26.8 billion above fiscal year 2023.

It also provides an additional 12,000 special immigrant visas for Afghans who helped the US.

The bill struck down poison pills that would have decreased the salaries of members of the administration including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other officials to $1, and blocked funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the defense and intelligence communities, and banned the flying of the Pride flag.

It also kills an amendment that would have cut funding for Head Start by $750 million, and instead increases funding by $1 billion above 2023 funding levels for Child Care and Head Start.

Shortly after the bill was released, Speaker Mike Johnson released a statement and said the legislation is “a serious commitment to strengthening our national defense by moving the Pentagon toward a focus on its core mission while expanding support for our brave men and women who serve in uniform.”

Top lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed the desire to avoid a partial shutdown, but there are challenges ahead.

Under House GOP rules, leadership typically requires 72 hours for members to review bill text before a vote, though it’s possible the rule could be waived. In the Senate, agreement will be needed from all 100 senators to swiftly pass the legislation – and the objection of any one senator could derail a quick vote and delay the process.

After months of averting shutdowns at the eleventh hour with stopgap bills, Congress passed a package of six bills in early March to fund a slate of government agencies for the rest of the fiscal year.

Now, Congress is finally on the verge of completing the annual appropriations package as long as it can pass this latest slate of government funding bills.

If a temporary lapse in federal funding were to occur, it would likely have only a limited impact on government operations if funding were to be restored before the end of the weekend.

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