Democrats desperate for a win hail spending bill

The massive spending bill approved by Congress this week comes as a relief to Democratic senators facing difficult reelection prospects this year. Democrats running for reelection in pro-Trump states are touting bipartisan accomplishments in the $1.3 trillion package after having few legislative victories to claim under President Trump amid a congressional calendar dominated by GOP pushes on health care and taxes. The Senate passed the legislation early Friday morning ahead of a two-week recess scheduled to begin Saturday. The bill is the last major legislative vehicle for Congress before lawmakers take a break over the summer and return home to campaign ahead of the fall midterms. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D), who is running in a state Trump won by 42 points, is highlighting his work to add a provision to the bill known as Jessie’s Law to give doctors more information about patients’ previous opioid addictions before they prescribe medicine. In Montana, Sen. Jon Tester (D) is hailing his effort to include $249 million in the bill for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s pre-disaster mitigation program. Montana, which Trump carried by 20 points, was hit hard by wildfires last year and spent its two-year, $60 million emergency wildfire fund in one year.Democratic strategists say the omnibus spending bill will beef up these incumbents’ résumés for November. “It’s been a good month for red state Dems,” said a senior Democratic aide, who pointed to funding for wildfire relief, opioid treatment and veterans in the omnibus spending package as well as the banking reform bill that centrist Democrats helped pass earlier this month...MORE