United States Congress Passes Spending Bill to Prevent Government Shutdown
Jose Nino
|
On January 18, 2024, the United States House of Representatives passed a short-term spending bill that would prevent a partial government shutdown and allow elected officials to focus more of their time and energy on heated negotiations over military aid to Ukraine.
The bill was passed in the US House after the Senate resoundingly voted in favor of the bill earlier on January 18.
The bill then went to President Joe Biden to be signed, thereby extending government spending at current levels for some federal agencies until March 1 and other agencies until March 8.
“It’s good news for every American, especially our veterans, parents and children, farmers and small businesses, all of whom would have felt the sting of a shutdown,” wrote New York Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader.
The short-term spending bill gives elected officials more time to hammer out a more permanent funding solution built around a $1.66 trillion spending deal that was reached earlier in January.
At the heart of this controversy, are funding disputes concerning the Ukraine war, Israel’s war in Gaza, funding the Taiwanese military against a potential Chinese invasion, and border security.
Republicans have adamant that any additional defense spending must have border security measures attached to it. Moreover, some Republicans want to vote on a completely separate bill that funds Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
Overall, Congress is addicted to big spending and is completely dysfunctional to boot. Indeed, it’s captured by a pro-war uniparty that’s looking for conflict abroad.
Nevertheless, the US federal government is growing more unstable and is having trouble keeping the lights on.
These budget fights will pale in comparison to the dysfunction to come as the US grows unstable and it reaches veritable levels of Idiocracy.
At that point, the US will be well on the way to civilizational decline. Only a serious America First alternative could reverse such a disastrous process.
Share: