The feared standstill of government business in the USA is not happening: after the House of Representatives, the Senate has now also approved an emergency budget.
The feared standstill of government business in the USA has been averted – but financial support for Ukraine and Israel is still pending. Late on Wednesday evening, the Senate also voted for an interim budget, following a vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
87 senators, with many representatives from both parties, voted in favor of the bill and 11 rejected it. Without approval, employees in parts of the public administration, among others, would no longer have received their salaries from Saturday.
The budget excludes the billions in support for Israel and Ukraine requested by President Joe Biden, as well as new money for the US border protection with Mexico. These points would have to be decided separately later, just like a regular budget with a longer term. Now Biden still has to sign the draft.
Kirby: Quick decision for aid to Ukraine
Before the vote, National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby emphasized that a quick decision must be made regarding the next round of aid to Ukraine. “There is no other solution – we must have additional money for Ukraine so that they can continue the fight against Russian aggression.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of Biden’s Democrats announced that the funds would be negotiated in the coming weeks.
The draft that has now been approved stipulates that around a fifth of the money for government business and federal agencies will be financed until January 19th, including money for the military and veterans, agriculture and transport. The other four-fifths, such as the State Department, Trade, Labor and Health, will be funded through February 2nd.
Political wrangling over the budget
The term of the current interim budget, which was only passed by the US Congress at the beginning of October, ends on Saturday. Until then, a solution had to be found to avert the insolvency of the public administration. This interim budget did not contain any new money for Ukraine. Republicans in particular are increasingly skeptical or rejecting support for the country attacked by Russia.
The political wrangling over the budget repeats itself every year – usually Congress makes do with passing an interim budget and then fights again a few months later over the financing of government operations.
Source: Stern
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