The Senate’s passage of the FY 2016 budget resolution on Tuesday marked the first time in five years that both chambers of Congress have agreed on a unified spending blueprint. The nonbinding budget conference report passed the Senate by a vote of 51-48. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) were the only Republicans to vote against the measure, which no Democrats supported. The House passed the budget conference agreement last week before adjourning for a weeklong recess.
Now the House and Senate Budget committees will turn the resolution's call for sharp domestic spending cuts into guidelines for the twelve appropriations subcommittees to follow in crafting this year's annual spending bills. The budget includes across-the-board "sequestration" spending cuts that are opposed by Democrats and President Obama.