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The Senate advanced a package of spending bills late Friday night, breaking a partisan gridlock that threatened to derail the government funding process.
Moving the three bills, including funding bills for military construction and Veterans’ Affairs, agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the legislative branch, appeared on ice for much of the week as lawmaker after lawmaker on either side of the aisle looked to block the bills.
But a path forward was found, and the bills were put on the floor, and after several votes on amendments, the final package passed. However, the bill to fund the legislative branch was added to the package separately in response to a roadblock by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., who ultimately relented to allow the bill to hit the floor.
He announced his plan to vote against that piece of the package because the bill increased spending, like the others, but specifically for Congress.
SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS TRY TO SAVE FACE, BLAME GOP FOR POSSIBLE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Reporters surround Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) as he moves between his office and the Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Aug. 1, 2025 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“I just think we need to set an example, and when we’re increasing our spending 6% and others less,” Kennedy said on the Senate floor. “We’re sending a message that we’re special, and I don’t think we are.”
Now it heads to the House, where Republicans are already incensed that the Senate’s bills go over their approved spending levels.
The advancement of the bills is a victory for members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and for Republican leadership, who are working to ward off a possible government shutdown as tensions over the “big, beautiful bill” and President Donald Trump’s $9 billion clawback package linger. It’s also the first time since 2018 that the upper chamber passed spending bills before September.
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