The bill, known as a continuing resolution, would extend current funding levels through March 14 so the new Congress under President-elect Donald Trump can craft and pass an annual budget to last through Sept. 30, 2025.
Tucked among the CR’s 1,547 pages are tens of billions of dollars’ worth of added provisions, including a pay raise for lawmakers and natural disaster aid. But there are also notable policy exclusions that certain lawmakers fought to include.
These are among the winners and losers of the legislation.
Winners
Pay raises: Lawmakers are primed for their first pay raise since 2009. The current salary for rank-and-file members is $174,000 and up to $223,500 for leadership members. The sums amount to roughly a third less than when they were first put in place when accounting for inflation.
New baseline pay could increase by as much as nearly 4%, or $6,600, for a salary of $180,600. The provision was met with mixed reactions by lawmakers. Some say Congress isn’t worthy of giving itself a pay boost while others say it’s long overdue and would mean fewer rich lawmakers who supplement their incomes with personal wealth.
Washington Commanders stadium deal: Control over the abandoned RFK Stadium site in Washington, D.C., would be handed to the city for it to erect a new stadium in hopes of luring back the Washington Commanders. The federal government would enter into a 99-year lease agreement with the city over the land.
Natural disaster aid: More than $100 billion is included for states impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as other natural disasters.
Farm aid: Another $10 billion is for farmer assistance to supplement commodity prices, with net farm income projected to face another year of decline. As part of the broader disaster aid, farmers who experienced crop or livestock losses will also get around $21 billion.
Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge: The bridge that collapsed in March after being struck by a container ship will receive upfront federal funding that will eventually be repaid from insurance and the shipping company responsible for the deadly accident. Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) had been pushing for federal aid.
Losers
House Speaker Mike Johnson: The Louisiana Republican is facing fierce backlash and threats to his speakership next Congress over what hard-line conservatives characterize as wasteful pork barrel spending.
Fiscal hawks: Those same members frustrated with Johnson are seeking to slash federal spending, not add to it.
Maryland: The RFK Stadium deal means Maryland could likely lose out on hosting the Commanders at their current stadium in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Moore signed a memorandum of understanding with the Commanders to ensure, among other things, that the team will demolish its current stadium if it opts to move back to D.C. and redevelop the site in Landover “with a project of equal economic impact of the current stadium,” according to a source familiar.
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Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV): The retiring senator and lead proponent of bipartisan energy permitting reform was unable to reach a deal with colleagues that he hoped could be included.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO): The conservative’s longtime attempts for Congress to pass his radiation exposure bill to compensate victims of nuclear weapons testing was once again thwarted. Hawley fumed at Johnson over excluding the bipartisan measure, accusing the speaker of being “willing to spend BILLIONS on Ukraine and foreign wars and every pork barrel project known to man.”