Both Chambers of Congress Pass Budgets

Last week, the House of Representatives and Senate both passed Fiscal Year 2016 budgets.  The two chambers will now negotiate a final budget deal.  

Ending a marathon voting session early Friday morning, the Senate voted 52-46 on a budget that included $5.1 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years and would balance the federal budget within a decade.  This budget included a provision that would repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Earlier in the week, the House of Representatives voted 228-199 to pass a budget that cuts spending by $5.5 trillion over the next decade and balances the federal budget within a decade.  The House-passed budget also repeals the Affordable Care Act.                                                       

Congress faces an April 15 deadline to pass a budget agreement, although this deadline has been flexible in the past.

Read more about the budget proposals in a March 19 Washington Alert.