Biden signs budget into law and urges US Congress to vote for aid for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

US President Joe Biden has signed a US$1.2 trillion budget proposal, ending the threat of a government shutdown, while calling on the House of Representatives to pass a bill to support Ukraine.

Source: a statement by the White House

Quote from Biden: “But I want to be clear: Congress’s work isn’t finished. The House must pass the bipartisan national security supplemental [which includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan – ed.] to advance our national security interests.”

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Details: Biden said that the bipartisan bill that he signed would keep the US government open, invest in the American people, and strengthen the US economy and national security.

“This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted,” Biden added.

Background:

• The US Senate approved a long-awaited budget of US$1.2 trillion in the early hours of Saturday, 23 March  – just hours after the government officially ran out of money to operate.
• Earlier, Republican Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the bill on supplemental funding to support Ukraine would be considered in the House of Representatives once the federal government funding issue is resolved.
• On 14 March, Johnson said that the House would prepare its own draft to support Ukraine, but in a significantly different form than the one already approved by the Senate.
• Johnson suggested that aid for Ukraine and Israel might be split into two separate bills. Any bill will have to secure sufficient votes in both the Congress and the Senate.

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