From the BBC:
“House passes the $1.7tn US
spending bill. But what's in it?”
The US Congress has passed a
nearly $1.7 trillion (£1.4tn) spending bill - averting a partial government shutdown
during the holiday season. The bill will now go to President Joe Biden who
needs to sign it before midnight on Friday. The package will fund the US
government all through the next fiscal year, to 30 September. The 4,155-page
budget contains measures to help Ukraine, bolster US defence, and funds for US
domestic priorities. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Friday
afternoon by 225 votes to 201. It had passed the Senate on Thursday by 68 to 29
in a cross-party vote. The bumper package contains $772bn for domestic
programmes and $858bn for defence. It includes almost $45bn in emergency aid to
Ukraine and about $38bn for regions recovering from natural disasters. Changes
to retirement programmes and healthcare for low-income Americans are also in
the legislation.
Here are some other ways the
government plans to spend tax dollars in the coming year, along with separate
provisions added to the omnibus legislation.
Support for Ukraine: The
$45bn for Ukraine includes funding for humanitarian and military aid as well as
Nato allies.
Electoral Count Act reforms:
Included in the spending package are changes to the Electoral Count Act in
response to the 6 January Capitol riots. It would clarify the role of the US
vice-president in tallying and certifying Electoral College votes. Former President
Donald Trump wrongly claimed his vice-president had the power to overturn their
2020 election loss.
TikTok restrictions: The
bill includes a plan to ban downloads of the app - owned by its Chinese-based
parent company ByteDance - on government-owned phones and other digital devices
amid national security concerns.
Medicaid: The bill ditches
a Covid-era provision that had relaxed eligibility restrictions for Medicaid -
which provides healthcare for low-income Americans. Millions of people could now
face losing health coverage in the spring.
Nursing mothers: An
amendment dubbed the "Pump Act" was included in the bill. It expands
legislation that extends protections for new parents who need to breastfeed
their babies or pump at work. A second amendment for pregnant workers ensures
they are given reasonable accommodations in the workplace.
Lobster rules: A provision
in the package delays by six years new rules for lobster fisheries aimed at
protecting the endangered right whale from becoming entangled in fishing gear.
FBI headquarters : A
lengthy battle between the states of Maryland and Virginia over where to
relocate the current Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters - currently
in Washington DC - is pushed down the road, with text in the bill allowing for
further consultation on future sites.
Pay rise for troops: A
4.6% wage increase for members of the military.
Capitol police support:
The congressional police service will get a boost of $132m, bringing its total
budget to $734.5m.
Security for senators: US
lawmakers have faced growing threats in recent years, and $2.5m has been
approved to improve security at senators' residences.
College students: Congress
plans to increase the maximum Pell Grant award - annual funding for low-income
undergraduates - by $500 to $7,395.
Childcare: There is a 30%
increase of funding - to $8bn - for the Child Care and Development Block Grant,
which helps low-income families pay for childcare.
Environmental protections:
The Environmental Protection Agency gets an increase of $576m over its budget
last year.
Several Republicans lawmakers
have expressed frustration over the size of the package and at being asked to
vote on a mammoth bill under a tight deadline, giving them little time to read
it through. It is expected to be the last major bill of the current Congress
before Republicans take control of the House in January after November's
midterm elections. Last week, the Senate passed a stopgap federal spending bill
that gave lawmakers additional time to negotiate a broader package, extending
the original 17 December funding deadline to 23 December. On Tuesday morning,
House and Republican negotiators unveiled that package, which was months in the
making. The "omnibus spending bill" raises funding from about $1.5tr
in the last fiscal year. A shutdown happens when parts of the government close
because politicians fail to agree on a budget. The political game of
brinksmanship has become a feature of US politics in recent decades. Under the
US system, the different branches of government have to reach an agreement on
spending plans before they can become law.
^ It seems all sides always wait
until the last moment to pass a Budget every year. It just needs one more signature
in order to avoid a Government Shutdown. I’m glad the Ukrainian Aid is in there
as well as the pay raise for American Soldiers. ^
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