Senate Pursues Bipartisan Agreement On 2025 Spending Increases

Chair Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., left, and Vice Chair Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, right, arrives for a Senate Appropriations hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 16, 2023. The Senate w

The Senate has reached an agreement on a spending increase for the upcoming fiscal year, with plans to boost defense spending by about 3.4% and non-defense programs by 2.7%. This agreement sets the stage for a potential clash with the House, which is pursuing lower spending levels in both categories.

Last year, President Joe Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed on a 1% increase for defense and non-defense programs in fiscal year 2025, totaling approximately $780.4 billion for non-defense and $895.2 billion for defense. Some senators have expressed concerns that this increase may not keep up with inflation and could effectively result in cuts for many programs.