Congress races to pass budget before Friday deadline

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Once again, Congress is facing the threat of a government shutdown with a funding deadline coming up on Friday.

On Wednesday the House passed a new $460 billion spending package. The legislation would keep portions of the government funded until the fall, including the Transportation Department, the Agriculture Department, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

But the package still has to pass in the Senate and the timeline is tight, because the agencies are set to run out of money this Friday.

Conservative Republicans are fired up over the new funding plan. In an angry rant on the House floor, Congressman Chip Roy (R-Texas) criticized the funding plan.

“The truth of the matter is we didn’t get any of the major wins that we worked all last year to get,” Roy said.

But House lawmakers are optimistic that it will pass.

“Government is going to be staying open as it should be.” Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said.

The package is a compromise and includes some spending cuts. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) says those are conservative wins in a divided government.

“We are not going to get everything that we want,” Johnson said.

Democrats are also celebrating some pieces of the package. Congresswoman DeLauro says they’re happy it protects funding for programs like housing and nutrition assistance.

“We prevented the most drastic and outrageous Cuts,” DeLauro said.

Over in the Senate, a group of Republicans is fighting against the legislation.

Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) says it will only drive up the national debt and fuel higher prices.

“Inflation will not go away until we balance the budget and stop this wasteful spending,” Scott said.

As Congress races against a Friday funding deadline, the opposition in the Senate could derail the package and force a partial government shutdown.

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