Senate passes bill to avert government shutdown

The Senate on Thursday passed a bill to avert a government shutdown ahead of a Friday night deadline, sending the legislation to President BidenJoe BidenTrump-nominated FAA administrator to resign at end of March Senate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline Trump issues endorsements in Texas congressional races MORE’s desk for a signature.Senators voted 65-27 on the bill, which funds the government through March 11 at current levels. The bill now goes to Biden, who is expected to sign it, after passing the House last week.”We have kept the government open. It took some work, especially when the Senate rules lend themselves to delay and obstruction. Still, I thank Senators Leahy and Shelby, as well as Leader McConnell, for helping us get this done,” Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerAmerican unity is key to a Europe whole and free Anxious Democrats want Biden to speed up vetting for Supreme Court pick Democratic Senate debates merits of passion vs. pragmatism MORE (D-N.Y.) said, referring to Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick LeahyPatrick Joseph LeahySenate seeks offramp as funding deadline nears On The Money — GOP senators block Biden’s Fed picks Negotiators make progress in fiscal 2022 spending talks MORE (D-Vt.), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and GOP Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellRepublican voters split over RNC censure of Cheney and Kinzinger: poll Overnight Defense & National Security — US officials accuse Russia of lying This is our moment to end cancer as we know it MORE (Ky.).”To have allowed the government to close would have caused undue hardship for millions of blameless Americans,” Schumer added. The bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), buys lawmakers roughly three more weeks to try to work out a mammoth deal that would fund the government through the end of September.The Senate’s passage of the funding bill comes after a days-long drama as senators tried to get a deal that would clear a path for the legislation. Because of the Senate’s rules, and the looming deadline, they needed buy-in from all 100 members to speed up the bill to meet the deadline.Senators spent days haggling over what amendments would get votes. In the end they agreed on three: Two related to Biden’s vaccine mandates and a third from Sen. Mike BraunMichael BraunRubio holding up funding bill over crack pipes Senate seeks offramp as funding deadline nears Blackburn drops hold on funding bill after HHS disputes crack pipe claims MORE (R-Ind.) on balancing the budget.Another amendment from Sen. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzSenate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline Rubio holding up funding bill over crack pipes Cruz endorses Schmitt in Missouri Senate race MORE (R-Texas) that would block federal funding for schools and childcare centers that require coronavirus vaccination failed, along with one from Sen. Mike LeeMichael (Mike) Shumway LeeSenate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline Former Celtics player Kanter Freedom attends Senate GOP lunch Rubio holding up funding bill over crack pipes MORE (R-Utah) and other GOP senators to defund vaccine requirements for medical workers, military personnel, federal employees and contractors for the length of the CR. Despite ultimately agreeing on what amendments would be included, the Senate was stuck in limbo for hours on Thursday because of a basic problem: Math.The chamber started the day with two GOP senators absent, Sen. Richard BurrRichard Mauze BurrThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden on Russia: Distrust and verify Overnight Health Care — Biden eyes additional COVID-19 funding Congress should create a national board on pandemic preparedness  MORE (N.C.) and Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamSenate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline White House says Biden won’t be swayed on Supreme Court pick The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden on Russia: Distrust and verify MORE (S.C.), along with three Democratic senators: Sens. Ben Ray LujanBen Ray LujanSenate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline The Hill’s Morning Report – World poised for war This week: Confirmation fight over Biden’s FDA nominee comes to a head MORE (Calif.), Dianne FeinsteinDianne Emiel FeinsteinSenate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline Feinstein approval at record low in California poll Democrats show little appetite for Biden’s call for gun control MORE (Calif.) and Mark KellyMark KellySenate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline Democrats seek midterm course-correct in suburbs Overnight Energy & Environment — Biden says Russia attack could spike oil prices MORE (Ariz.).That meant if the Senate had voted on the amendments on Thursday, or even Wednesday when Graham was the only GOP senator missing, the vaccine proposals would have had enough support to get added into the government funding bill.Any changes to the CR forces it to go back to the House, which is in the middle of a two-week recess and where Democrats would likely balk over quickly passing a bill that defunds Biden’s vaccine rules.Cruz and Lee sought to take advantage of the Democratic absences, urging their colleagues to stay in town in order to win the votes on the vaccine amendments. Cruz said that “NO REPUBLICAN SENATOR should leave town this afternoon.” “Schumer is panicking right now because Dems WILL LOSE THE VOTE on my amendment & @SenMikeLee amendment to BLOCK BIDEN’s VACCINE MANDATES & BLOCK MANDATES ON KIDS. The only way Dems win the vote is if Rs skip town,” he tweeted.But GOP leadership indicated that they thought the logjam would eventually work itself out because enough Republican senators—eager to start their one-week break out of Washington, D.C.—would leave. In addition to Burr and Graham, GOP Sens. Jim InhofeJames (Jim) Mountain InhofeSenate leaders send Putin symbolic warning shot amid invasion fears Russia crisis exacerbates US political divisions Overnight Defense & National Security — White House raises new alarm over Russia MORE (Okla.) and Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyThe Hill’s Morning Report – Biden on Russia: Distrust and verify White House brushing off Graham handicapping of high court choice Overnight Health Care — Biden eyes additional COVID-19 funding MORE (Utah) missed the votes on the vaccine mandate amendments.Sen. John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneSenate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline Overnight Defense & National Security — US officials accuse Russia of lying Former Celtics player Kanter Freedom attends Senate GOP lunch MORE (S.D.), the No. 2 Republican senator, predicted that the math for passing the CR without amendments would eventually work out because of “natural attrition.””There’s the Munich Security Conference and those folks are leaving later this afternoon. So, you know, at some point it’ll ultimately resolve itself, if it isn’t resolved some other way,” he said.Senators also negotiated for days over a bill from Sen. Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioSenate slips within 48 hours of government shutdown deadline Rubio holding up funding bill over crack pipes Poll: Rubio leads Demings by 7 points in Florida MORE (R-Fla.) and Joe ManchinJoe ManchinOvernight Energy & Environment — Interior watchdog: Zinke broke ethics rules Rubio holding up funding bill over crack pipes White House chief of staff to speak to Senate Democrats MORE (D-W.Va.) to block federal funding from going toward crack pipes and other drug paraphernalia. Rubio warned that he would block quick passage of the CR unless there was a deal to get a vote on his bill.The issue spun up last week out of reports from conservative media that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was providing pipes for smoking crack as part of a harm reduction program. The Biden administration has dismissed the report as incorrect, and they’ve also been fact-checked by organizations including The Washington Post and The New York Times.Sen. Marsha BlackburnMarsha BlackburnOn The Money — Retail sales rallied in face of omicron Hillicon Valley — Senators introduce online kids’ safety bill Rubio holding up funding bill over crack pipes MORE (R-Tenn.) had initially had a hold on the CR but dropped it earlier this week after she “received an answer in writing from the HHS Secretary committing that no taxpayer funding will be used to fund crack pipes.”But Leahy blocked quick passage of Rubio’s bill, arguing that it went further than crack pipes, which has gotten the bulk of the public focus, and that the Senate needed to move on to passing the CR.”We actually have to go to the CR now. … A war is about to start in Ukraine in all likelihood, and what we’re saying is we will start putting all of these things, so the government will have to shut down tomorrow night and we can stand there and Putin can say, why should I listen to them?” Leahy asked. But Rubio said on Thursday that he wasn’t holding up the CR over his bill.“This has nothing to do with a continuing resolution. The reason we’re not voting on the continuing resolution is there’s a lot of people who are not here,” Rubio said. “That’s why I took this opportunity to offer my bill.” Rubio had narrowed his bill since he introduced it with Manchin last week. The revised bill dropped the inclusion of sterile needles and syringes and instead would prevent funds in a substance disorder program included in last year’s coronavirus relief bill from being used to “procure, supply, or distribute pipes or cylindrical objects that are used to smoke or inhale illicit narcotics.””You see what the problem is here. They don’t plan to send a crack pipe. They are sending a mouth piece, which is a straw-looking thing that you attach to the crack pipe,” Rubio said. “I just don’t think the federal government should be paying for that. I think most people would agree and be surprised.”Updated: 7:43 p.m.