Lawmakers reach $1.5T deal on government funding package

Congressional negotiators have reached a bipartisan deal on a $1.5 trillion sprawling omnibus package to fund the government, as pressure mounts on lawmakers to wrap up spending talks under the wire amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

The legislation includes what Democrats have lauded as the biggest increase to nondefense discretionary spending in four years. The GOP has also touted a $42 billion increase for defense spending in the package, saying the deal achieves dollar-for-dollar parity for defense and nondefense increases.

The bill also will include about $14 billion in emergency funding to boost humanitarian, security and economic assistance for Ukraine and central European allies amid the Russian invasion, in addition to more than $15 billion in COVID-19 supplemental funding offset by rescission of previously appropriated funds.

Top lawmakers unveiled text for the sweeping legislation to fund the government through the remainder of fiscal 2022, which ends in late September, early Wednesday.