U.S. Senate passes huge spending bill, averts third govt. shutdown

The measure boosts military and domestic spending, increases border security, funds infrastructure and student loan projects.

March 23, 2018 10:32 am | Updated 02:59 pm IST - Washington

 US Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi speak at a news conference in Washington on Thursday.

US Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi speak at a news conference in Washington on Thursday.

The United States Senate passed a $1.3 trillion federal spending Bill in a dramatic dark-of-night fashion early on Friday, overcoming hurdles that threatened to send the government into its third shutdown of 2018.

Lawmakers stared down a self-imposed deadline of midnight on Friday, when federal funding was set to expire, and passed the mammoth package by a vote of 65-32, with hours to spare.

It now goes to the White House to be signed by President Donald Trump, whose aides have said he supported the Bill.

The measure boosts military and domestic spending, increases border security, funds infrastructure and student loan projects, and includes provisions to reduce gun violence, but does not address protections for undocumented immigrants or efforts to stabilize health insurance prices.

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