House to vote on funding package to stave off partial government shutdown
CBSN
Washington — The House is set to vote Wednesday on a major funding package, facing an end-of-week deadline to avert a partial shutdown as lawmakers look to bring an end to a spending saga that has stretched on for months.
Congressional leaders unveiled a six-bill spending package on Sunday, after months of disagreement over how to fund the government was finally put to rest with a deal last week. The package, which is the first of two to resolve the government funding issue, largely extends funding levels with some cuts, as Democrats sought to stave off GOP policy changes. And it gave both parties something to tout.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the agreement, saying it "maintains the aggressive investments Democrats secured for American families, American workers, and America's national defense." He pointed to key wins for Democrats within the package, like the WIC nutrition program, along with investments in infrastructure and programs for veterans.
Washington — The Supreme Court on Friday said it will consider the constitutionality of the Federal Communications Commission's Universal Service Fund, agreeing to review a lower court decision that upended the mechanism for funding programs that provide communications services to rural areas, low-income communities and schools, libraries and hospitals.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launched six space tourists on a high-speed dash to the edge of space and back Friday, giving the passengers — including a husband and wife making their second flight — about three minutes of weightlessness and an out-of-this world view before the capsule made a parachute descent to touchdown at the company's west Texas flight facility.