Senate backs $854B bill to fund health, education, military
WASHINGTON — The Senate approved an $854 billion measure Thursday that funds a range of domestic programs, including $675 billion for the Defence Department.
The bill combines military spending with disbursements for Health and Human Services, Education, Labor and other agencies.
The bill was approved, 85-7, and now heads to the House.
With the vote, the Senate has passed nine of the 12 mandatory spending bills for the budget year that begins Oct. 1. That’s a marked departure from recent years, when individual spending measures were routinely ignored in favour of giant spending packages that fund the entire government.