Members of the US Senate Appropriations Committee have reached a bipartisan agreement on a temporary funding bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown at the end of September.
The measure, which would keep the federal government funded through December 11 if approved, is expected to face an initial procedural vote on Monday as Senate leaders work to pass it before lawmakers begin their recess.
The proposal includes additional funding adjustments for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the Disaster Relief Fund and several shipbuilding projects. It also contains a provision temporarily preventing the White House from changing the federal grant approval process.
Senator Patty Murray, the committee’s vice chair, said the legislation would stop what she described as an abuse of federal grant funding.
“This short-term funding bill blocks a corrupt policy that would allow Trump to hold even more federal grants hostage—and it closes House Republicans’ loophole to pull funding for other agencies to give to Border Patrol,” Murray said.
Committee Chair Senator Susan Collins welcomed the bipartisan agreement, saying it would prevent a controversial proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from taking effect.
“I am pleased that this bipartisan agreement prevents the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s proposed rule regarding federal financial assistance from taking effect,” Collins said.
“This measure gives Congress the time we need to continue our work on bipartisan appropriations bills, which are always my strong preference for handling annual government funding. I am grateful for the work of my colleagues; this CR is a major step toward averting a damaging shutdown that only harms vital programs and federal workers.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also praised the agreement, specifically acknowledging Murray’s role in securing the provision that halts changes to the grant approval process.
He described the stopgap bill as “a responsible path forward that allows continued bipartisan negotiations on a budget that delivers for American families.”
“Democrats remain committed to funding negotiations that help hardworking Americans get ahead and stymie Trump’s wasteful, corrupt agenda that has failed families,” Schumer added.
Ryan Wrasse, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, said passing the measure now would help avoid the disruption of a government shutdown later in the year.
Meanwhile, Collins reiterated her opposition to the proposed OMB rule, describing it as deeply flawed.
“I wrote the first letter from a senator to the OMB to express my opposition,” she said. “There’s a huge group of organizations that have come out against it.”
