President Biden on Thursday signed into law Congress’ $1.7 trillion spending bill to fund federal agencies through September.
Mr. Biden signed the bill from St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he is celebrating the New Year’s holiday.
The president last week signed a stopgap measure passed by Congress to keep the government afloat beyond an earlier Dec. 23 deadline.
The White House flew the full bill out to the Caribbean island after receiving it from Congress late Wednesday, just days before the new funding deadline was set to expire on Dec. 30.
The House passed the sprawling package mostly along party lines, 225-201, last week as lawmakers scrambled to tie up loose ends before leaving Washington for the holiday recess. The Senate approved the measure 68-29.
Mr. Biden praised the bill as a shining example of bipartisanship on Capitol Hill.
“This bill is further proof that Republicans and Democrats can come together to deliver for the American people, and I’m looking forward to continued bipartisan progress in the year ahead,” Mr. Biden said Thursday.
Last week’s passage marked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s final act as leader of the chamber’s Democrats before Republicans take control next month.
The more than 4,000-page bill contains 12 appropriations bills for federal agencies and provides roughly $45 billion in aid to Ukraine amid the 10-month-old Russian invasion.
The package increases spending for domestic initiatives by about 6%, totaling $772.5 billion. Defense spending will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.
“This bill is good for our economy, our competitiveness and our communities,” Mr. Biden said.
• Joseph Clark can be reached at jclark@washingtontimes.com.
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