The U.S. Congress has delivered a $1.1 trillion spending package for defense, homeland security and other programs. Lawmakers now have less than two days to prevent a partial shutdown of government agencies (shutdown). This is written Voice of America and reported by UNN.
Details
Congressional leaders Thursday morning released a bipartisan $1.1 trillion spending bill for defense, homeland security and other programs. It will be voted on Friday, March 22. If the Senate doesn't pass the bill on time, about 70% of the federal government will shut down at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Earlier this month, Congress passed a separate spending package that funded the rest of the federal government through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. Once the second spending package is signed into law, it will eliminate any threat of a government shutdown before the new fiscal year begins in October.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he hopes Congress can avert a shutdown if Democrats and Republicans cooperate.
House Speaker Mike Johnson called the package a series of Republican victories, from increasing defense and border security spending to cutting off funding for the main U.N. agency providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The text presented Thursday reportedly fleshes out the details of the agreement in principle between Johnson and Schumer.
This FY24 Appropriations Act is a serious commitment to strengthening our national defense
Joe Biden has already signaled that he will sign the spending package "immediately" once it gets to his desk, but there are still some legislative hurdles.
Recall
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