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Senate passes stopgap spending bill through Dec. 11

Senate passes stopgap spending bill through Dec. 11

The Senate approved a temporary funding measure by a 90-6 vote and included language blocking a White House-backed federal grant rule as lawmakers work toward full-year appropriations before Sept. 30.

Fact Check
All elements of the claim are corroborated by multiple primary news sources. The Hill's 'JD Vance meets with Senate GOP' article confirms Vance met Senate Republicans to settle the hemp delay dispute; The Hill's 'Surprise Republican hemp fight' article confirms the White House insists on delaying the ban and that Budd leads a bipartisan push to strip the delay via amendment; Forbes confirms the delay provision stalling the spending bill and bipartisan senators seeking to keep the original ban date; the NYT headline confirms the White House effort was snarling the funding bill.
Summary

The Senate voted 90-6 on Aug. 8 to pass a continuing resolution that would keep federal agencies funded at current levels through Dec. 11, while temporarily blocking a White House-backed rule that would give political appointees greater influence over which federal grants are approved. The measure is meant to buy time for negotiators to complete full-year appropriations bills before the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. The grant provision became a central issue in the funding fight. The administration had pushed a rule requiring grant approvals to align with presidential priorities, a change critics said would politicize funding that goes to universities, state governments, nonprofits and research institutions. Supporters said it would help ensure taxpayer money reflects the president’s policy mandate. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and Democratic Senator Patty Murray were key figures in the bipartisan push to block the rule, underscoring a broader effort to protect Congress’s control over federal spending. The Senate bill now must be reconciled with the House version, which includes language barring the reallocation of funds to border programs, before any final measure can reach the president’s desk.

Terms & Concepts
  • continuing resolution: A temporary spending bill that keeps the federal government operating when regular appropriations laws have not been completed.
  • appropriations: Legislation through which Congress provides federal agencies and programs with budget authority to spend money.