House passes massive year-end spending bill

House passes massive year-end spending bill

In a 316-113 vote, the House easily passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill that would keep the government funded through September 2016.

After weeks of negotiations and two short-term spending measures, Congress unveiled the 2,009 page omnibus bill early Wednesday morning, and passed it Friday morning.

Whip teams from both parties worked late Thursday evening to ensure the bill would get the votes needed to pass the lower chamber.

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Democrats, including Rep. Luis V. Gutiérrez of Illinois, said they would not support the measure since it didn’t include a provision to bail Puerto Rico out of debt, while others came out against the measure over a provision lifting a 40-year crude-oil ban.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to her party Thursday urging members to support the measure.

The bill also saw some pushback from conservatives calling for language to block the Obama administration’s plan for allowing Syrian refugees into the country.

“This bipartisan compromise secures meaningful wins for Republicans and the American people, such as the repeal of the outdated, anti-growth ban on oil exports,” Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said in a statement after the vote. “The legislation strengthens our military and protects Americans from terrorist threats, while limiting the overreach of intrusive government bureaucracies like the IRS and the EPA.”

The Senate is also slated to vote on the measure and a $622 billion tax-break bill Friday afternoon.

This report, by Juliegrace Brufke, was cross-posted by arrangement with the Daily Caller News Foundation.

LU Staff

LU Staff

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