President Joe Biden has successfully signed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills, bringing an end to concerns over a partial government shutdown. The legislation was passed by Congress just hours before Biden’s signature, marking a compromise where neither side got everything they wanted. However, the agreement includes provisions for expanding access to child care, investing in cancer research, funding mental health and substance use care, advancing American leadership abroad, and securing the border.
Lawmakers took six months to reach this point in government funding due to conservative pushback for more policy mandates and spending cuts than the Democratic-led Senate or White House would accept. Short-term spending bills were necessary to keep agencies funded during this impasse. The legislation was signed by Biden at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was spending the weekend.
The spending package consists of two parts: the first covers the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and the Interior, while the second covers Defense, Homeland Security, State, and general government aspects. When combined, discretionary spending for the budget year will amount to approximately $1.66 trillion. This figure does not include programs like Social Security and Medicare or the financing of the country’s increasing debt.
The package also includes $300 million in defense spending for Ukraine aid, which Biden considers critical in countering Russia’s invasion. However, a larger assistance package for Ukraine and Israel is currently stalled in Congress. Biden urges Congress to pass additional aid and emphasizes the need for a bipartisan national security supplemental and a border security agreement.
A bipartisan border package collapsed last month when Republican senators ended negotiations with Democrats on legislation aimed at reducing illegal border crossings. To gain support from Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted spending increases for 8,000 more detention beds for migrants awaiting immigration proceedings or removal from the country, as well as funds to hire 2,000 Border Patrol agents.
Democrats are celebrating several provisions in the spending package, including a $1 billion increase for Head Start programs and new child care centers for military families. They also secured a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a $100 million increase for Alzheimer’s research.
The spending package aligns with an agreement reached in May 2023 between then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the White House. This agreement restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling until January 2025 to ensure the federal government can fulfill its financial obligations.
Prospects for a short-term government shutdown seemed likely on Friday evening as Republicans and Democrats clashed over proposed amendments. However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a breakthrough just before midnight, stating that reaching a bipartisan deal was good for the country.
The legislation was met with mixed reactions in the House, where it passed by a vote of 286-134. The vote breakdown revealed Republican discontent with the content and speed of the bill’s passage. House Speaker Mike Johnson faced an effort to remove him from his position initiated by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, but further action was postponed until the House returns in two weeks.
In summary, President Joe Biden has signed a $1.2 trillion spending package after Congress passed the legislation, averting a government shutdown. The compromise agreement includes various provisions related to child care, cancer research, mental health, border security, and American leadership abroad. Although it took several months to reach this point due to differences between conservatives and Democrats, the legislation represents a significant step forward in government funding.
