President Joe Biden has signed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills after the United States Congress enacted the long-awaited legislation just hours ago, averting a partial government shutdown.
“I just signed a bipartisan financing bill that keeps the government operating. “Invests in the American people while strengthening our economy and national security,” Biden said in a statement released on Saturday.
About the Spending Bill
The spending bill was passed by the Democratic-majority Senate, 74-24. Key government agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, State, and Treasury, which houses the Internal Revenue Service, will be financed until September 30.
Source: The Hill
However, the plan excluded financing for largely military aid to Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel, which are contained in a separate Senate-passed package that the Republican-led House of Representatives has ignored.
The business community praised the budget bill’s passage and pledged to continue working with legislators to advance legislation that would expand tax advantages for businesses and low-income households.
The package also features several conservative policy victories. It prohibits the federal government from prohibiting the use of gas stoves, limits the flags that can be flown over US diplomatic installations, and keeps a provision that prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for abortion services.
Despite criticism from conservatives who regarded the deal a failure, Johnson stated that the package “represents the best achievable outcome in a divided government.”
Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee warned the bill’s passage jeopardizes the GOP majority.
