HR 1968 Passed in Senate – FY 2025 Year End Spending

Yesterday the Senate completed consideration of HR 1968, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act. After rejecting four amendments and voting to close debate, the bill passed by a vote of 54 to 46. Sen Paul (R,KY) voted against the bill, while Sen King (I,ME) and Sen Shaheen (D,NH) voted for the bill. The bill has been presented to the President and Trump signed it today, so the federal government was technically shutdown for a few hours.

The following amendments were considered:

• Merkley Amendment No 1273 (vote of 47 to 53),

• Duckworth Amendment No 1274 (vote of 47 to 53),

• Van Hollen Amendment No 1272 (vote of 48 to 52), and

• Paul Amendment No 1266 (vote of 27 to 73)

House Passes HR 1968 – FY 2025 Spending Bill

Earlier today, the House took up HR 1968, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, under a rule. After an hour of debate, the House passed the bill by a near party-line vote of 217 to 213 (one Republican voted nay and one Democrat voted yeah). The bill now goes to the Senate where the Republican leadership needs to pull seven Democrats into voting for the bill. That vote could come Thursday.

Johnson has pulled together his fractious caucus for two key votes early in the 119^th Congress. While Johnson deserves much credit, it is clear that it was the pressure exerted by President Trump on the potential holdouts that kept this bill alive. More important than merely passing this spending bill is that today’s vote is going to have to change the political calculus of the 119^th Congress. Today, it looks like the Johnson and his team (with  more than a little help from the White House) may actually be able to get some of their agenda to the President’s desk.

Cloture will remain a problem in the Senate, at least until it upsets the President enough to push for a change in the Senate’s rules.

Review - Bills Introduced – 3-10-25

Yesterday, with the House and Senate both in session, there were 91 bills introduced. Three of those bills may receive additional coverage here.

HR 1968 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 Cole, Tom [Rep.-R-OK-4]

HR 1974 Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2025 DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3]

S 924 A bill making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other purposes. Murray, Patty [Sen.-D-WA]

 

For more information on these bills, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/bills-introduced-3-10-25 - subscription required.