The Senate passed legislation Wednesday to fund the federal government through Dec. 9, and provide $1.1 billion to fight the Zika virus, after the bill was stalled for weeks by Senate Democrats.
The latest hurdle to its passage was the lack of any language to provide aid to Flint, Mich., which is still dealing with a lead water crisis. But most Democrats were able to accept the spending bill after a bipartisan deal reached Tuesday that will ensure money for Flint is included in a separate bill authorizing water projects.
With that deal in hand, the Senate decided to quickly move the bill through the upper chamber, just two days before the end of the fiscal year. Senators were expected to rush home afterwards, and aren’t expected to reconvene until after the Nov. 8 election.
The exact funding levels for Flint, which will be awarded in the form of grants, will be determined after the election, after House and Senate negotiators work out a more specific compromise. A Senate-passed measure includes $220 million for Flint, all of it offset by cuts elsewhere.
The House will vote on a water projects bill later Wednesday that provides a pathway for federal aid for Flint.
The larger federal funding bill tackles flood aid, and provides $500 million for flood-ravaged states including Louisiana, Texas and West Virginia.
The inclusion of that money is what prompted Democrats to push for Flint money in the same bill, since the spending measure is seen as a “must-pass” bill. They had argued that if the bill includes money for flooding, it should also provide funding for Flint, which they consider a disaster that qualifies for federal aid.
But Democrats were facing a threat from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who said he would rather strip out the flood money than include Flint money.
“This is an acceptable compromise,” Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., said of the deal. “It may not be the most desirable.”
The measure now moves to the House, where it is expected to pass this week.
