Supreme Court nominee and federal appeals court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is seated as she meets with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., March 2, 2022.
Supreme Court nominee and federal appeals court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is seated as she meets with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., March 2, 2022. Reuters / JONATHAN ERNST

A $1.5 trillion U.S. government spending bill containing $13.6 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine headed toward final passage in the Senate late on Thursday, which would avert looming government shutdowns by week's end when existing federal funds were due to expire.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer set the vote after he and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell agreed on the outlines of a final debate on the sprawling, 2,700-page bill that the House of Representatives passed late on Wednesday.

"We're keeping our promises to support Ukraine as they fight for their lives against the evil Vladimir Putin," Schumer said, referring to Russia's president who has orchestrated a massive attack against its neighbor.

Besides the funds to finance ammunition and other military supplies and humanitarian aid for Ukrainians, the legislation funds regular U.S. military programs and an array of non-defense operations through Sept. 30.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell indicated bipartisan support, saying the bill met his requirements, including robust defense spending.

Without passage of this legislation by midnight Friday, federal agencies would have to begin laying off workers and suspending government programs deemed non-essential.

Before the final vote on passage, senators were debating three amendments to the bill that were expected to fail.

The Senate also was expected to pass a stop-gap funding bill extending through Tuesday in order to give congressional clerks the time they need to process the sprawling "omnibus" legislation beyond the Friday deadline.