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March 23, 2018

Congress OKs Record Military Funds in $1.3T Spending Bill
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Congress approved a $1.3 trillion spending bill early this
morning-averting what would have been the third government shutdown of
the year, less than a day before it was set to take effect. The bill won
bipartisan support in both houses, clearing the Senate on a 65-32 vote
just after 1 a.m., after more than two-thirds of House lawmakers
approved it earlier in the day. President Trump has signaled he will
sign the bill, which will boost spending on weapons and war to an
all-time high, while increasing funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
It does not address the plight of immigrants brought to the U.S. as
children-so called DREAMers-a key demand of immigrant rights groups and
some Democrats. The bill also contains modest gun control measures,
including tightening a background check measure known as "NICS"-but does
not provide for universal background checks for prospective gun buyers.


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