The Senate voted early Friday to approve a $400 billion budget deal although it was not without issues. As an unexpected move, Republicans were shocked to witness opposition from one of their own on the budget deal as the bill was categorized vital. The Republican packaged the bill in a manner to suggest it carried a lot of weight to national security. The budget is expected to fund Pentagon and the American military. The Republican move was to solicit support towards passing the bill and avoiding any unnecessary friction.
Even though the Senate was able to pass the bill early Friday, it was too late to escape the federal shutdown that was underway after midnight. It was also considered an embarrassing setback for the Republicans because they are the majority in Congress.
Events during the Budget Passing Session in Senate
The budget deal was approved alongside a stopgap government spending bill set to expire on March 23. The Senate’s budget approval alongside the stopgap funding bill destined the deal’s move to the House of Representatives where it faced some challenges due to the division of lawmakers along party lines.
Despite House Republican leaders offering assurances on Thursday that the bill will pass with minimum objections, the Senate also stood by their House counterparts and assured Americans that the bill will be passed before midnight. They missed the deadline and the federal government went into shutdown just after midnight.
Categorized as the second shutdown this year, it is evident that President Donald Trump played a very little role in supporting Republican Party leaders earlier this week to end months of fiscal wrangling. After of the shutdown, the US Office of Personnel Management informed millions of federal workers to check with their employing agencies on reporting to work on Friday.
Reasons for the Shutdown
Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul, borrowing a leaf from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, gave an on and off nine-hour speech to oppose to the deficit spending in the budget bill. Paul stated that the bill will loot the treasury because it will raise domestic and military spending by approximately $300 billion in two years. Currently, there are no offsets in spending cuts or revised tax revenues. It is therefore interpreted that the money will have to be raised through borrowing.
Although the bill was passed on Friday morning, the shutdown is still interpreted as an underscore for Trump’s administration.
