Congress Leaders Unveil $1.2 Trillion Funding Deal 1 Day Before Shutdown Deadline

Lawmakers must pass the package by 11:59 p.m. on Friday to avert a partial government shutdown.

The U.S. Capitol building during cherry blossom in Washington on March 20, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Following a last-minute controversy around funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), congressional leaders in the early hours of March 21 unveiled a massive package to fund large portions of the government ahead of a March 22 deadline to fund the government.

The package, which funds half of the 12 yearly government spending bills, starts a mad dash by Congress to approve more than $1 trillion in spending. The bills cover funding for the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Labor, and other departments.