US Senate Launches Hotline to Negotiate Completion of Year-End Spending Deal - Reports

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st December, 2022) The US Senate leadership has launched a hotline overnight to ease negotiations toward a year-end omnibus spending bill that Congress seeks to pass by the Friday government shutdown deadline, Politico reported on Wednesday.

Party leaders use hotlines to sort out objections by their caucus members in advance of efforts to pass legislation.

Senators are using hotlines to negotiate the consideration of the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill and a package of nine amendments, the report said, citing a senator's aide.

The amendments include eight Republican and one bipartisan measure. Hotline negotiations could result in a deal to guarantee votes on the amendments in exchange for expedited final passage of the omnibus, the report said.

The Senate could pass the legislation as soon as Wednesday, the report said. Senator John Thune reportedly said on Tuesday night that he would like to see the omnibus passed before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses Congress on Wednesday evening.

The amendment package includes a proposal by Senator Rand Paul to raise the threshold of votes needed to waive "PAYGO" rules, which require Congress to offset new spending by either increasing revenues or decreasing other spending, the report said.

The package also includes a proposal by Senator Ron Johnson to strike earmarks from the legislation and strip funding for transportation of migrants, the report said.

The 4,155-page omnibus bill includes $1.7 trillion in total spending, including $45 billion for Ukraine's defense needs and $858 billion in overall defense funding.

Some US House Republicans have expressed opposition to the legislation and threatened to thwart the legislative efforts of congressmen who vote in favor of the measure when they take control of the lower chamber of Congress next year.