Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE 7/23/18

This week, the Senate will debate its second spending package, which combines four appropriations bills for federal programs in fiscal 2019: Agriculture, Transportation-HUD, Financial Services and Interior-Environment. The Senate will begin debate Monday night, according to a whip notice, although POLITICO's Sarah Ferris first reported the strategy last Wednesday. In June, senators passed the first "minibus," which grouped together legislation to fund energy and water initiatives, as well as veterans affairs and the legislative branch.

Reality check: This is all happening at a rapid clip for the Senate. But even if a handful of those bills are adopted before Sept. 30, most congressional leaders acknowledge that a stopgap funding bill will be needed for at least some agencies. The House has passed half of the 12 annual spending bills needed to fund the government. The Agriculture appropriations bill has yet to come to the floor.

Toplines: The Senate's USDA-FDA bill includes nearly $122 billion in mandatory spending, which is $6 billion above President Donald Trump's budget request. The bill also would authorize more than $23 billion in discretionary spending — a couple hundred million above enacted levels. The Appropriations Committee summary can be found here.

Divide on salmon labeling: The Senate version included a provision that would continue to ban the sale of genetically engineered salmon until it's labeled as such. That is a different approach than the House version, which would ensure disclosure requirements are in accordance with a labeling rule for foods containing GMOs. The USDA is in the process of developing those.

Republicans pledge on tax cuts proving hollow: Speaking of the federal budget, GOP lawmakers on the campaign trail are playing up the tax cuts Congress enacted this year, asserting they will pay for themselves. But evidence is piling up that the Republican Party's signature policy achievement, H.R. 1 (115), will contribute to soaring budget deficits for a decade.