Joe Biden signed a spending bill worth $1.7 trillion on Thursday that will fund the federal government through September 2023, the end of the federal budget year. Just before Christmas, the Democratic-controlled House passed the bill 225-201, mostly along party lines. The House vote came a day after the Senate, also led by Democrats, approved the bill by a vote of 68-29.
A total of $772.5 billion will be spent on domestic initiatives as part of the funding bill, an increase of approximately 6%. A total of $858 billion will be spent on defense programs, an increase of approximately 10%. Passage of the bill was achieved hours before the expiration of funding for federal agencies. Earlier this month, lawmakers approved two short-term spending measures to maintain government operations, and a third measure, to fund the government through December 30, was approved last Friday.
He signed it to ensure that services would continue until Congress sent him the full-year measure, known as an omnibus bill. With more than 4,000 pages, the bill incorporates 12 appropriations bills, as well as aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities affected by natural disasters. It also contains numerous policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill considered by Congress at that time.
