President Biden signed a $1.2 trillion spending package on Saturday, bringing an end to the possibility of a government shutdown. The bill passed through Congress with bipartisan support and arrived on his desk after 2 a.m.
The government was at risk of shutdown if the bill wasn’t signed before midnight on Friday. However, as the Senate vote crossed that deadline, the White House announced that shutdown preparations had ceased, anticipating swift Senate approval and Biden’s signature.
In a statement, President Biden expressed his pleasure at the bill’s passage, calling it “good news for the American people.” He acknowledged the compromise made by both sides during lengthy negotiations, stating that neither side got everything they wanted.
The spending package includes provisions such as child care access, cancer research funding, mental health resources, and border security measures that the Biden administration fought for inclusion.
The 1,012-page spending package combined the remaining six of 12 annual spending bills to fund government operations through September. It followed months of negotiations and four temporary funding measures.
Lawmakers crafted the bill to align with last year’s debt and spending agreement between then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Biden, maintaining consistent spending on domestic programs.
While hard-right Republicans in the House opposed the bill, it garnered bipartisan support and ultimately passed with more than half of Republicans voting against it. The Senate vote was more decisive, with 74 in favor and 24 opposed.
Both Democrats and Republicans highlighted victories in the legislation, with Republicans pointing to increased funding for border security measures and Democrats securing additional funds for child care, education, and medical research.
President Biden also noted that two crucial pieces of legislation were still pending: a border security agreement and a foreign aid package supporting Israel and Ukraine. While the Senate approved the foreign aid measure, it faces resistance from House Republicans.