Congress Releases $1.7 Trillion, 4000-page Spending Bill Days Before Government Shut Down

spending bill

December 20, 2022

Congressional appropriators just released a $1.7 trillion omnibus bill on Tuesday, December 20, giving lawmakers just a day to read all 4,155 pages before they vote on it. Congress is planning to rush the bill through both chambers and onto the president’s desk by Thursday before a government shut down on Friday.

The bill would reportedly fund the government through September 2023 and bolster domestic and military spending by $773 billion and $76 billion, respectively. Hundreds of pages of provisions are not reportedly in the bill but can be found separately on the appropriation website.

South Carolina Republican Rep. Dan Bishop tweeted that he and his team are reading through the entirety of the bill and shared some of the most “egregious provisions” they have found so far.

The bill would allegedly prohibit funding toward Customs and Border Patrol to improve border security. “None of the funds provided in subsection (a)(1) shall be used—to acquire, maintain, or extend border security technology and capabilities, except for technology and capabilities to improve Border Patrol processing,” the section reads.

The provision comes amid illegal immigrants surging the border as Title 42 is reportedly set to end. While the provision disallows funds for border security, others give $410 million toward border security for Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman.

Other provisions reportedly include:

  • $1.43 billion for membership in “global multilateral organizations,” including the United Nations.
  • $858 billion for defense spending, marking an increase of $76 billion, including a 4.6% increase for military service members and civilian employees of the Pentagon.
  • $45 billion in military and economic aid for Ukraine, representing $8 billion more than the White House initially requested.
  • $47 billion for the National Institutes of Health.
  • $600 million for water issues in Jackson, Mississippi.
  • A reform of the 1887 Electoral Count Act to change the way certification of the results in a presidential election can be objected to, which comes in response to the January 6 Capitol riots. Currently, only one representative and senator is required to object. Under the Senate version, one-fifth of lawmakers from both chambers will reportedly be required to interrupt the certification process.
  • TikTok to be banned from government devices, a provision pushed by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley.
  • $1 billion for Puerto Rico’s electrical grid.

Provisions that did not make it into the bill include:

  • Extension of child tax credits.
  • The SAFE Banking Act, which would have eased restrictions for banks involved in the marijuana business.
  • A pathway to citizenship for “DREAMERS.”
  • Coronavirus aid.
  • No additional funding for the IRS, which may foreshadow the Republican-controlled House in January 2023. The agency has faced criticism after the Democrats’ $740 billion Inflation Reduction Act granted $80 billion in funding to the federal agency, $45.6 billion which will be used for enforcement related activities. The funding came after it was revealed that the IRS has stockpiled more than 5 million rounds of ammunition and 5,000 firearms. Recently, the agency has also reportedly proposed to purchase an additional $700,000 in ammunition.
  • Instead, the IRS will reportedly get a $275 million cut in 2023, with a total allocation of about $12.3 billion.

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