Senate unlocks ‘minibus’ deal, prepares to advance three spending bills

The Senate reached an agreement Friday to advance three fiscal 2026 spending bills, ending a days-long stalemate. The deal combines the Military Construction‑VA and Agriculture‑FDA bills into a package, while a third bill funding Congress will be voted on separately at the request of Sen. John Kennedy. Votes are expected to begin Friday afternoon. Although the full set of 12 annual appropriations bills won’t be ready by the September 30 deadline, this package will serve as a foundation for future negotiations, Politico has reported. The bills had strong bipartisan support in committee.