Washington DC, United States

Leaders of the United States Congress are seeking support for a $1.2 trillion spending package as lawmakers aim to get it approved before the funding expires at midnight on Friday (Mar 22). The bill would keep the US government funded through September and avert a brief partial government shutdown. 

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What we know about the bill

In a closed-door meeting, House of Representatives Speaker and Republican Mike Johnson told GOP lawmakers that they have managed to secure a few policy changes, including a prohibition on funding for a United Nations relief programme for Palestinian refugees which extends through March 2025, reported the Associated Press. 

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“I think the final product is something that we were able to achieve a lot of key provisions in, and wins, and it moved in a direction that we want even with our tiny, historically small majority,” said Johnson. 

The bill, according to the House Speaker, would also include funding for additional detention beds for migrants waiting for their immigration proceedings or removal from the country at facilities run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

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Republicans have also secured a six per cent cut to foreign aid programmes and other provisions including a measure that would prevent embassies and other official buildings from flying gay or transgender pride flags. 

Meanwhile, the Democrats have secured their long-sought deal to create 12,000 new special visas for those who had worked for the US in Afghanistan. 

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Additionally, Democrats also secured a one-year reauthorisation of PEPFAR, which was a government programme to address HIV globally and funding boosts for federal child care and education programs.

Debate on the bill continues

A divided Congress, as of Wednesday (Mar 20) behind the scenes, struggled to produce a massive spending bill which would fund several government agencies, including defence, homeland security, and others. 

Johnson and other House Republicans said that they hope to vote on the bill on Friday which would give the Democratic-majority Senate just hours to meet the midnight deadline. 

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Democrats, including President Joe Biden and other leaders, have also endorsed the agreement and remained hopeful that it would pass. The US president also pledged to sign it into law.

The House Speaker said that he hoped that the final bill would be unveiled soon, but warned that a vote on its passage would be delayed to give lawmakers time to review it.

“Right now, if Republicans and Democrats continue to work together in good faith to fund the government, I’m hopeful we can avert a shutdown,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, at a press conference. 

(With inputs from agencies)