Omnibus
Definition
An omnibus is a single bill that combines several of Congress's 12 annual appropriations bills into one package, usually voted on as a whole rather than separately. Lawmakers use it when they miss the October 1 deadline for passing individual spending bills.
Why it matters
Bundling thousands of pages of unrelated spending decisions into one vote makes it nearly impossible for members or the public to scrutinize every provision before a deadline vote. It also concentrates real drafting power in a handful of appropriations leaders and staff, since members often face an up-or-down choice between an imperfect omnibus and a shutdown.
Seen in the wild
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 packaged several full-year FY2026 appropriations bills together while extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security separately through February 13, 2026, following the record 43-day shutdown that began October 1, 2025.1