The House of Representatives approved three government funding bills on Friday, but the White House has already threatened to veto the bills if they reach President Biden’s desk, setting the stage for a tough spending fight later this year.
The three measures, aimed at funding overseas operations and the departments of Defense, State and Homeland Security, face opposition from the White House and Democrats in both houses of Congress over spending levels, partisan policy riders and poison pill amendments, making them virtually unlikely to become law.
But Republicans have sought to get their own budget approved to put the party in a stronger negotiating position in future negotiations with Democrats.
The bills were approved on near party-line votes: the Department of Defense bill passed 217-198, the Department of State/Foreign Affairs bill passed 212-200, and the Homeland Security bill passed 212-203.
The Defense Department bill allocates $833 billion for discretionary spending, a 1 percent increase from fiscal year 2024.
Meanwhile, the State Department’s Foreign Affairs division is proposing to cut discretionary spending by about 11% (to $7.6 billion) and allocate 19% less funding than Biden’s budget request.
The Homeland Security Act allocates $64.8 billion in discretionary spending.
