The Senate passed the bipartisan budget deal today by a vote of 64-36. Nine Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the bill. The final vote came after the Senate voted yesterday (67-33) to end debate, thwarting an effort by some Republicans Senators to block final action because they were not allowed to offer amendments.
The bill now goes to the president who has said he would sign it.
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (H.J. Res 59) sets the total federal funding level for discretionary spending at $1.012 trillion in FY2014, about half way between the $1.058 trillion in the Senate-passed budget resolution and $967 billion approved by the House. The FY2015 spending level would be $1.014 trillion.
The bill provides about $65 billion in sequester relief over two years, evenly divided between defense and nondefense programs, and about $25 billion in deficit reduction. Discretionary spending for defense and security programs in FY2014 would total $520.5 billion. The nondefense spending level would be $491.8 billion.
With the total spending levels for FY2014 set, the appropriations committees can now move to complete action on the 12 appropriations bills. Both House and Senate Appropriations committee chairs hope to move quickly to finish a FY2014 Omnibus Appropriations bill before the current Continuing Resolution expires on January 15, 2014.
[…] reduction is necessary to meet the targets set in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 passed by the Congress and signed by the president in December. That budget deal, put together by budget committee chairs […]
[…] The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, passed by Congress in December, set the total federal funding level for discretionary spending for FY2014 and FY2015. The Act provided about $65 billion in sequester relief over these two years, evenly divided between defense and nondefense programs. As a result no additional sequestration cuts will be necessary in FY2014 and none will be made in FY2015. […]