Biden: US Congressional leaders reach an agreement to avoid a government shutdown | international

Nearly six months later, the US Congress is preparing to approve the last of the pending budget bills. Republican and Democratic parliamentary leaders have reached an agreement that must still be approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but it would permanently remove the specter of a partial shutdown of the administration.

“We have reached agreement with congressional leaders on moving forward with full-year funding bills. The House and Senate are now working on finalizing…

Nearly six months later, the US Congress is preparing to approve the last of the pending budget bills. Republican and Democratic parliamentary leaders have reached an agreement that must still be approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but it would permanently remove the specter of a partial shutdown of the administration.

“We have reached an agreement with congressional leaders on moving forward with full-year funding bills. The House and Senate are now working to finalize a package of measures that can be advanced quickly, which I will sign,” President Joe Biden said in a statement released by the White House. Immediately.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made similar announcements. The Department of Homeland Security's spending levels remained unresolved, and an agreement was reached, the details of which were not revealed. This administration is responsible for the border, which has become a major issue in the presidential election campaign in November. Republicans recently rejected a bill that would have allocated more than $20 billion to combat illegal immigration.

Congress approved the first part of spending bills in early March, with about 30% funding from the government. Now they are focusing on the broader package. The laws that fund the Pentagon and the State Department, among others, which have already been agreed upon, still need to be finalized and voted on.

Parliamentarians have until midnight on Friday to formulate the rules and approve the package of pending items. The Republican Party's internal rules require at least 72 hours to study any bill, but party leaders skip that when necessary.

He added, “The House and Senate committees have begun drafting the text of the draft law, which will be prepared for publication and consideration by the full House of Representatives and Senate as soon as possible.” Johnson noted.

The United States has not one budget law, but dozens of laws, but it is systemically unable to approve them in time for the start of the fiscal year, on October 1. The last time it did so on time was in 1997. The usual thing is to approve a budget extension, which is called a continuing resolution, while the laws enabling the year's expenditures, which usually follow a cumbersome and complex procedure, are processed in full. of modifications.

Congress has approved successive extensions. The first cost then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy his job. Curiously, his successor, Mike Johnson, approved measures similar to those that received less support from Republicans, but received no suggestion of censure like McCarthy.

Aid to Ukraine has been excluded from budget extensions on every occasion. Moreover, the approved laws do not provide funding for its resumption. Biden's bill, which includes aid to Ukraine and Israel, among other things, remains stuck in Congress.

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