Shutdown averted - Senate votes in favor of interim budget
The feared government shutdown in the USA has been averted - but financial support for Ukraine and Israel is still up in the air. Late on Wednesday evening, the Senate also voted in favor of 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, while 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 funds for US border protection with Mexico. These points would have to be decided on separately at a later date, as would a regular budget with a longer term. Biden still has to sign the draft.
Kirby: Quick decision for Ukraine aid
Before the vote, National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby emphasized the need for a quick decision on the next Ukraine aid. "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 bill that has now been passed provides for about one-fifth of the money for government operations and federal agencies to be funded through Jan. 19, including money for military and veterans, agriculture and transportation. The other four-fifths, such as the State Department, Commerce, Labor and Health, will be funded through Feb. 2.
Political wrangling over the budget
The current interim budget, which was only passed by the US Congress at the beginning of October, expires on Saturday. Until then, a solution had to be found to avert the insolvency of the public administration. This transitional budget already contained no new funds for Ukraine. Republicans in particular are increasingly skeptical about or rejecting support for the country attacked by Russia.
The political wrangling over the budget is repeated every year - as a rule, Congress helps itself by passing a stopgap budget and then fights again a few months later over the funding of government operations.
In the context of US budget negotiations, President Joe Biden did not receive the requested funding for Ukraine and Israel in the interim budget. John Kirby, the National Security Council Communications Director, underscores the necessity of swift decision-making for Ukraine aid, as households in affected nations rely on this support.
Source: www.dpa.com
