Biden Signs Massive Spending Package, Avoiding Government Shutdown
Historic Legislation Provides Funding for Key Federal Agencies
Washington, DC - March 23, 2024, 3:53 PM EDT
President Joe Biden signed into law a massive $460 billion spending package on Saturday, narrowly avoiding a shutdown of many key federal agencies. The legislation passed the Senate overnight with a vote of 72-24, and the House of Representatives approved it on Friday by a decisive 286-134 margin.
The package includes funding for a wide range of government operations, including defense, education, healthcare, and infrastructure. It represents a compromise between Democratic and Republican lawmakers, who have been negotiating for months over the budget for fiscal year 2024.
"This is a victory for the American people," President Biden said in a statement. "We have averted a government shutdown and provided critical funding for our nation's priorities. This package will support our troops, strengthen our schools, improve our healthcare system, and invest in our infrastructure."
The spending package is the second of two major appropriations bills that Congress has passed this year. The first, a $1.7 trillion package, was signed into law by President Biden in December 2023.
With the passage of this legislation, Congress has completed about half of its appropriations work for fiscal year 2024. The remaining appropriations bills are expected to be considered later this year.
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