{"id":55865,"date":"2020-12-21T19:13:02","date_gmt":"2020-12-21T19:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/12\/21\/congress-races-to-pass-23t-spending-deal-with-696b-for-pentagon\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:06:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:06:16","slug":"congress-races-to-pass-23t-spending-deal-with-696b-for-pentagon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2020\/12\/21\/congress-races-to-pass-23t-spending-deal-with-696b-for-pentagon\/","title":{"rendered":"Congress races to pass $2.3T spending deal, with $696B for Pentagon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2015 Congress is rocketing to pass a massive $2.3 trillion spending package<\/a> by Monday at 11:59 p.m. that includes pandemic relief and federal spending, with $696 billion for the Pentagon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The full-year Pentagon spending bill released Monday morning as part of the mega package represents a $2.6 billion increase over the 2020-enacted level but $2.1 billion less than President Donald Trump\u2019s 2021 budget request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It shakes out to $627.3 billion in base funding and $68.7 billion in wartime overseas contingency operations funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deal includes $1.4 trillion in regular federal government spending for 2021 and $900 billion in coronavirus relief. One of the largest relief packages in modern history, it includes an extension of a reimbursement program for federal contractors under Section 3610 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The legislation, which represents much of Capitol Hill\u2019s unfinished business for the year, was expected to sprint through both chambers. To avoid a government shutdown, lawmakers must pass the bills before the latest stopgap funding measure runs out at the end of Dec. 21. (The 2021 annual defense authorization bill remains in limbo, awaiting a possible veto \u2014 something the president has threatened \u2014 and an override vote by lawmakers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe American people expect us to do our job, and after many months of work on this legislation, I am hopeful we can swiftly advance the bipartisan package through Congress and on to the President\u2019s desk. Funding the government, including our Armed Forces, is our fundamental responsibility,\u201d Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProviding relief to struggling Americans and businesses is paramount as our nation recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. This year has been unprecedented in a number of ways. Completing our work is all the more important. I urge my colleagues to support this package.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t