Biden signs funding bill into law, averting US government shutdown
Al Jazeera
The US president hails the passage of the budget legislation after days of uncertainty and negotiations that went down to the wire.
United States President Joe Biden has signed into law a bipartisan funding bill that averts a government shutdown, days after Congress was thrown into turmoil after President-elect Donald Trump rejected an initial deal.
The White House announced on Saturday that Biden had signed the legislation, which funds the government through mid-March.
“This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted. But it rejects the accelerated pathway to a tax cut for billionaires that Republicans sought, and it ensures the government can continue to operate at full capacity,” Biden, a Democrat, said in a statement.
“That’s good news for the American people, especially as families gather to celebrate this holiday season.”
The Democratic-controlled Senate, in an 85-11 vote, passed the bill to continue government funding 38 minutes after it expired at midnight (05:00 GMT) in Washington, DC, on Saturday.
