Congress approves 2-year budget deal, all but ending short-lived government shutdown

Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell walk side-by-side

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

published 9 February 2018

On Friday morning, the House narrowly approved a bipartisan two-year budget deal, 240-186, with Democratic votes needed to overcome a revolt by fiscal conservatives in the majority Republican caucus. The Senate passed the bill earlier Friday morning, 71-28, but not before the government shut down at midnight. Once President Trump signs the bill, the short-lived and unexpected shutdown will be over. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) proudly took the blame for this shutdown, throwing up procedural hurdles on Thursday night to protest the legislation's surge in deficit spending — the bill adds roughly $320 billion to the federal deficit.

The legislation raises budget caps on military and domestic spending, adds $90 billion for hurricane and wildfire recovery, extends $17 billion in business tax breaks, authorizes infrastructure and opioid-fighting spending, and renews several large health-care programs. It does not include protections for DREAMers, or young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, as House Democrats had hoped. The legislation only funds the government until March 23, at which point Congress will have to pass what lawmakers hope is the final spending bill of fiscal 2018.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.