Different year, same story. Yet again, Congress has passed a bloated budget bill that nobody's read at the very last minute to avoid a government shutdown - as if the federal government would ever really fully shut down, and as if that would be a terrible thing.

Around noontime Friday the House of Representatives passed a $1.2 trillion spending package, avoiding the dreaded "government shutdown," sending that suite of bills to the Senate for passage. The bills passed the Senate after 2 AM, Eastern Daylight Time.

BREAKING: Senate passes $1.2 trillion spending package, 74-24, after brief partial government shutdown pic.twitter.com/995aQBZ6c2

— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) March 23, 2024

The Senate missed the deadline by a few hours, so technically parts of the government were shut down during that time.

And the earth kept spinning.

Why the delay? Accoridng to Fox News Digital:

The upper chamber's Republicans and Democrats did not reach a deal in which they would forego a lengthy period of debate and swiftly take a vote on the spending bills in time to avoid the shutdown. Due to disagreements between the parties on whether to consider several amendments, the bills weren't passed prior to the 12:01 a.m. deadline on Saturday.

However, within the 11 p.m. hour on Friday night, the parties appeared to reach an agreement, with senators returning to the floor. Two senior GOP Senate sources confirmed to Fox News Digital that votes on amendments and the spending package are expected shortly after midnight. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced that an agreement was reached on the floor with only minutes until midnight, adding that several amendment votes would take place first.

Senators did, however, vote to protect illegal immigrants who are violent criminals.

Senate votes 51-47 to block inclusion of Laken Riley Act in minibus spending bill

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) March 23, 2024

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) had some strong words about the whole process. 

I voted NO on this bloated budget monstrosity negotiated by a few in the shadows & jammed through.

We are $34T in debt. Our border is in shambles. Nothing was done to address either of these stark realities.

Washington is broken & we need real reform to get us out of this mess

— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) March 23, 2024

He's absolutely right.