Congress Passes $162B Measure to Fund Wars

Spending bill clears hurdle when Joe casts final vote

(AP) - Senate Democrats turned back a Republican effort to block a final vote on a huge end-of-year spending bill that gives most federal agencies a generous budget boost. The 60-34 vote largely along party lines met the minimum threshold to end the filibuster by Republicans, who say the $447 billion measure has too much wasteful spending. More»

(NEWSER) - Senate Democrats tonight finally got the votes they needed to pass a $410 billion appropriations bill to keep the government running through September, Politico reports. The measure passed 62-35 over strenuous GOP arguments that it had too much pork for such dire times. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation, using the occasion to highlight earmark reforms that will go into effect for the next spending plan. More»

(AP) - With a $410 billion catchall spending bill stalled in the Senate and a midnight deadline looming, Congress rushed through stopgap legislation today to keep the government running for another five days. With most Republicans denouncing the bill as too costly and a few Democrats opposing it as well, Majority Leader Harry Reid called off a key procedural vote—just one vote short of the 60 needed to send the measure to the White House. More»

(AP) - Senate Republicans, demanding the right to change a huge spending bill, forced Democrats tonight to put off a final vote on the measure until next week. The surprise development will force Congress to pass a stopgap funding bill to avoid a partial shutdown of the government. Republicans have blasted the $410 billion measure as too costly. But the reason for GOP unity was that Democrats had not allowed them enough opportunities to offer amendments. More»

2011 saw least-productive session since 1992

(NEWSER) - The 2011 Senate produced less legislation than any other since 1992, according to a report by the chamber's own secretary. Throughout its 170 days, the Senate was in session an average of just 6.5 hours per day; only 2008's Senate had a lower figure, with three members running for president. The 2011 Senate also confirmed just 19,815 nominations, the fewest in 20 years, and passed a total of only 402 measures, the second-fewest since 1992. The data is particularly embarrassing because 2011 wasn't an election year, when productivity typically falls, the Washington Examiner reports. More»