House passes $1.7 trillion spending package

A bill to fund the government passed 225-201, mostly along party lines, in the Democrat-led House on Friday. Now it goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed. The 4,155-page bill, not including amendments, includes a 6 percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives and about a 10 percent increase in defense spending. It will provide funding through the end of September 2023. 

What have House members said? Many Republicans were not happy with the bill. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called it a “monstrosity” and a “shameful” act. Republican leaders successfully negotiated to up the bill’s military spending by billions of dollars, but a proposed amendment to extend the Title 42 immigration rule didn’t pass in the Senate. Roughly 40 percent of House members voted by proxy to catch flights out of Washington before a winter storm. Republicans have said they will abolish proxy voting, which was established as a pandemic precaution, when they control the House next term. 

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Stew about Congress’ packed end-of-year agenda.