The President of the United States welcomed the passage of the budget bill after days of uncertainty and difficult negotiations.
U.S. President Joe Biden has signed a bipartisan funding bill that averts a government shutdown, days after President-elect Donald Trump’s initial rejection of the deal threw Congress into chaos.
The White House announced Saturday that Biden signed a bill that funds the government through mid-March.
“This agreement represents a compromise, meaning both sides got everything they wanted. But it rejects the accelerated path to tax cuts for billionaires that Republicans had sought. , will ensure that the government continues to operate at full capacity,” Biden, a Democrat, said in a statement.
“This is good news, especially for Americans as families gather together to celebrate this holiday season.”
The Democratic-controlled Senate passed the government funding continuation bill by an 85-11 vote on Saturday, 38 minutes after it expired at midnight (5 p.m. Japan time) in Washington, D.C.
The budget passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Friday evening with bipartisan support.
Saturday’s signing marks the first step in a tumultuous U.S. Congress, after President Trump, who takes office in January, and his adviser, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, expressed opposition to the original bipartisan agreement. The week has come to an end.
President Trump had insisted that the deal included raising the government’s borrowing limit. If not, he said, “let’s start now” with a government shutdown.
Lawmakers spent days trying to hammer out a new deal, but the holiday season is set to see a widespread shutdown of government services.
The closures mean non-essential work ceases, up to 875,000 workers will be furloughed and a further 1.4 million will have to work without pay.
The final version of the bill would fund the government at current levels until March 14. It would also provide $100 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion to help farmers.
But the deal removed some provisions that Democrats had defended as Republicans bowing to pressure from Musk, an unelected billionaire with no government experience.
Some Republicans voted against the measure because it would not lead to spending cuts.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said his party will gain even more influence next year when Republicans gain majorities in both chambers and Mr. Trump takes the White House.
“This was a necessary step to bridge the gap and bring us to a moment where we will make our mark on final spending decisions,” he told reporters after the House vote. He added that President Trump supports the agreement.
Prime Minister Johnson added that the compromise was “a good outcome for the country”.
Still, the episode raises questions about whether Mr. Johnson will be able to keep his job in the face of angry Republican colleagues.
The House of Representatives is scheduled to elect the next speaker on January 3, when the new parliament convenes.
Republicans are expected to win a narrow 220-215 majority, leaving little margin for error for Mr. Johnson as he seeks to win the speaker’s gavel again.
