House Votes 341-88 for 'Minibus' Spending Package

The minibus spending package now heads to the Senate for consideration there.

What it means: Congress must pass appropriations legislation by Jan. 30 to keep much of the federal government from shutting down Feb. 1.

House passage of the new minibus package means the government is more likely to stay open.

Package details: Financial services agency funding provisions in the spending package could:

◆ Cut Internal Revenue Service funding to $11.2 billion, from $12.3 billion for fiscal year 2025.

◆ Cut funding for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to $2.149 billion, from $2.23 billion, and limit SEC spending on office reception and representation expenses to $3,500.

◆ Hold funding for the U.S. Labor Department's Employee Benefits Security Administration, which is in charge of efforts to implement the Employee Retirement Income Security Act fiduciary rule, steady at $191 million.

The Medicare provisions in the bill could extend many of the current Medicare program rules and programs, including the current rules for coverage of telehealth services.

Other provisions could lay the groundwork for adding Medicare coverage for wearable devices and for blood tests that can detect many different forms of cancer at the same time.

The vote: Republicans backed the minibus package by a 192-24 vote, and Democrats voted 149-64 for final passage.

The list of House members who voted against the bill includes both Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who is ranked as the second most conservative House member by GovTrack.us, and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Pa., who is ranked as the second most liberal House member.