President Joe Biden signed a $1.2 trillion funding package that will keep the US government open until September 30, averting a partial shutdown.
The White House announced the signing on Saturday after the US Senate approved the package early in the morning. It ended a partisan tug-of-war marked by repeated infighting among Republicans over the amendments. As the deadline approaches midnight, Senate leaders are fending off attempts by conservative Republicans to push through deep spending cuts and immigration restrictions.
Biden welcomed passage of the funding package but also called on lawmakers to approve aid to Ukraine, Israel and allies in the Indo-Pacific region that has been stalled for months, as well as a measure that would bolster security at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“I want to be clear: Congress’ work is not done,” Biden said in a statement Saturday.
A senior NATO civilian official said last week that Ukraine “…running out of ammunition“, echoing warnings from the country’s allies, including the United States.
The funding package increases defense spending by 3% while keeping overall domestic spending unchanged. The temporary spending measures financed the federal government for the first six months of the federal fiscal year.