The House of Representatives passed the $1.7 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government through the next fiscal year by 225 votes to 201. Averting a shutdown, this is expected to be the last major bill of Congress before Republicans take control of the House in January. After months in the making, the bill has passed both the Senate and House and was signed by President Biden before midnight on Friday.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a trip to D.C. from Ukraine to plead for support, saying that it is “not charity. It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.” The funding will assist with the military and deliver humanitarian aid as well as strengthen any other responses from Washington to the war. The bill also tackles some policy issues not related to spending, but addressed with importance.
The spending bill includes:
$45 billion in support for Ukraine
Clarification of the role of the US vice-president in tallying and certifying Electoral College votes.
A plan to ban downloads of the app TikTok – owned by its Chinese-based parent company ByteDance – on government-owned phones and other digital devices amid national security concerns.
A plan to ease the Covid-19 era provisions that allowed more flexibility in eligibility for Medicaid.
An amendment dubbed the “Pump Act”. Expands legislation that extends protections for new parents who need to breastfeed their babies or pump at work.
A provision in the package delays by six years of new rules for lobster fisheries aimed at protecting the endangered right whale from becoming entangled in fishing gear.
A lengthy battle between the states of Maryland and Virginia over where to relocate the current Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters – currently in Washington DC – is pushed down the road, with text in the bill allowing for further consultation on future sites.
A 4.6% wage increase for members of the military.
A $132 million increase in the budget for capitol police support
$2.5 million to improve security at senators’ residences
Congress plans to increase the maximum Pell Grant award – annual funding for low-income undergraduates – by $500 to $7,395.
A 30% increase of funding – to $8bn – for the Child Care and Development Block Grant.
A $576 million increase in the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency.
This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.
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