The Senate passed H.R. 1158, a minibus appropriations bill providing funds to the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, among others, by a vote of 81-11 Dec. 19.
Lawmakers voting “no” included Republican Sens. Mike Braun (Ind.), Ted Cruz (Texas), Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Mike Lee (Utah); and Democratic Sens. Tom Carper (Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), and Ron Wyden (Ore.).
Along with the 71-23 vote confirming H.R. 1865, which contains the government’s domestic and international assistance appropriations, the minibus bills ensure lawmakers can leave Washington, D.C., and close out 2020 with the government funded before the current continuing resolution would expire Friday evening.
White House officials confirmed Wednesday that President Trump plans to sign the bills, which total 12 spending bills and $1.4 trillion in funds. The national security minibus included $860.3 billion in funds; of that sum, $738 billion was appropriated for defense.
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) lauded the passage of the bills’ passage in a Thursday statement, and urged Congress to utilize the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 passed earlier this year as a “roadmap for returning to regular order for FY ’21.” The bill, which was signed into law in August, caps defense spending at $741.5 billion in FY ’21.
“Passing full-year appropriations provides the federal government with the timely resources and certainty needed to achieve America’s policy priorities,” said AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning in the Thursday statement. “This investment will help the aerospace and defense industry bolster American innovation and empower our workforce to take on the challenges of the 21st century.”