2024-03-07 13:20:13
Members of the House of Representatives in the US Congress passed part of the US budget for 2024, which should make it possible to prevent a partial paralysis of the federal government, the world agencies reported. This happened in anticipation of President Joe Biden’s “State of the Union” speech, France Press notes.
The $467.5 billion spending program was passed by a vote of 339 to 85. The Senate now has until midnight on Friday to vote in turn to avoid gridlock. However, the danger of some government departments shutting down remains as the other part of the budget expires on March 22.
The House of Representatives passed a package of spending bills worth more than $460 billion that will provide funding for key federal agencies through the end of the fiscal year (Sept. 30), the Associated Press notes.
Lawmakers are negotiating a second package of six bills, including defense, in an effort to ensure full funding for all federal agencies before a March 22 deadline. Ultimately, the amount of discretionary spending set by Congress is expected to total about $1.66 trillion for the entire year, bta writes.
A significant number of House Republicans opposed the spending packages, forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson to use an expedited procedure to bring the bill to a vote. This process requires two-thirds of the House to vote for the measure to pass, the AP explains.