Congress is negotiating a .7 billion funding bill that would pay for everything in the federal government through Sept. 2023.

Ray Bogan Political Correspondent

Congress negotiating $1.7 trillion funding bill ahead of Friday deadline

Dec 20, 2022

Ray Bogan Political Correspondent

By Ray Bogan (Political Correspondent), Brent Jabbour (Producer), Brian Spencer (Editor)

The federal government is preparing to spend $1.7 trillion next year. According to the newly released 2023 omnibus spending package, taxpayer dollars are being split, with $772.5 billion for non-defense spending and $858 billion in defense funding for the military.

Congress is currently negotiating the final details and the numbers may change slightly. But lawmakers need to pass the bill by Friday or there will be a government shutdown. The bill funds the entire federal government through September 2023.

Here’s a look at how Congress wants to spend taxpayer money next year:

Bipartisan victories:

Up to $45 billion in Ukraine aid, including both humanitarian and military assistance
$40 billion for natural disaster assistance for victims of storms and wildfires
Nearly $119 billion for VA medical care

Democratic priorities:

$15 billion dollars to support low income, rural and elderly Americans and those at risk of homelessness
More than $34 billion for public schools and college access and affordability
Increase maximum Pell Grant by $500 to $7,395 which could impact 7 million students
$22.1 billion for “protecting the environment,” including funding for the EPA and National Park Service, energy efficiency and clean energy
$8 billion to help low income families access child care

Republican priorities:

10% increase in defense funding to pay for ships, aircraft and vehicles, along with improvements in artificial intelligence, 5G and quantum computing
The Hyde Amendment is included, which prohibits federal funds from paying for abortion, with some exceptions like rape, incest and risks to the mother’s health
$82 billion for homeland security, including $7.1 billion for the Border Patrol
A non-spending related measure from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Ark., to ban the social media app TikTok on government devices

The final details are still being negotiated, but even if some of these numbers change slightly, Friday’s deadline does not.

Interested in reading more about the more than 4,000-page bill? Here are rundowns from Democrats and Republicans.

Tags: Department of Homeland Security, Energy, EPA, Government Shutdown, Homelessness, Josh Hawley, National Defense Authorization Act, TikTok, U.S. Congress, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Ukraine

The federal government is preparing to spend 1.7 trillion dollars next year, that’s right trillion with a T.

Your taxpayer dollars are being split – 772.5 billion for non-defense spending, and 858 billion in defense funding for the military.

That’s how it’s being broken up in the newly released 2023 omnibus spending package that Congress hopes, or should I say needs to pass this week. If they don’t finish it by Friday, there will be a government shutdown. So here’s a look at how Congress wants to spend your money next year.

Democrats prioritized Domestic spending pushing education and college affordability to the tune of roughly $35 billion dollars. They also added more than $15 billion dollars to support low income, rural and elderly Americans and those at risk of homelessness. Democrats also pushed to add more than $21 billion dollars for, as they put it, “protecting our environment” which includes additional funding for the EPA and the National Park Service, as well as a hefty investment in energy efficiency and clean energy.

Republicans are happy about the 10% increase in defense funding. It will pay for ships, aircraft and vehicles, but also improvements in artificial intelligence, 5G and quantum computing. They got the Hyde amendment included which prohibits federal funds from paying for abortion, with some exceptions like rape, incest and risks to the mother’s health. Republicans are also pointing to the 82 billion for Homeland security – including 7.1 billion for the border patrol.

There’s also a non-spending related measure from Senator Josh Hawley to ban the social media app tik tok on government devices.

In addition, there are a few measures both sides are bragging about. For instance up to $45 billion in Ukraine aid, $40 billion for natural disaster assistance for victims of storms and wildfires, nearly 119 billion for VA medical care.

The final details are still being negotiated, but even if some of these numbers change slightly, Friday’s deadline does not. Straight from DC, I’m Ray Bogan.