Biden Signs $1.7 Trillion Spending Package Backed By 18 Senate Republicans And 9 House Republicans

President Joe Biden After a bipartisan group made up of senior legislators, the bill’s 4,155 pages were quickly passed through Congress. It was only days after it had been introduced.

Biden signed the bill during vacation in the U.S Virgin Islands. The Omnibus was also signed by Biden. flown to the Caribbean island for the president’s signature.

The Omnibus bill funds the government through the remainder of the fiscal year. This puts off the possibility of a shutdown of government until October. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Along with Democratic leaders in Congress, Rep. Ky., he endorsed the bill to push for the massive spending package before Christmas.

The Senate passed The House approved the Omnibus on December 22 by a vote of 68-29, with 18 Republicans voting in favor along with Democrats. The House passed The bill was passed 225-201 by nine Republicans joining Democrats to push the measure through.

Conservative critics of the massive spending package suggested that McConnell block the legislation and finance the government through temporary spending bills until a new Congress is seated with a GOP-controlled House.

Roy Blunt of Missouri and John Boozman from Arkansas voted in favor of the bill. Shelley Moore Capito (West Virginia), Susan Collins of Maine and John Cornyn of Texas voted in favor of the bill. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Jim Inhofe(OK), Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), Jerry Moran of Kansas, Lisa Murkowski-Alaska, Rob Portman (Ohio), Mitt Romney of Utah. Mike Rounds of South Dakota.

House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy (Republican from California), who is considered a top contender to become the next House speaker threatened GOP senators over Tuesday’s spending package. McCarthy stated that if McCarthy is elected speaker, he will kill any Senate Republican who voted for the bill’s legislative priorities.

“[W]hen I’m Speaker, their bills will be dead on arrival in the House if this nearly $2T monstrosity is allowed to move forward over our objections and the will of the American people,” McCarthy tweets

Agreed. Except no need to whip—when I’m Speaker, their bills will be dead on arrival in the House if this nearly $2T monstrosity is allowed to move forward over our objections and the will of the American people. https://t.co/WCC477R4IM

— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) December 20, 2022

Utah’s GOP senator Mike Lee was one the loudest critics in this chamber. While the Senate approved the spending package, Lee tried unsuccessfully for an amendment to be added to the bill that would have reinstated Title 42 authority to border agents at U.S. Southern Border.

“This bill before us is legislative barbarism. This is an act of extortion being leveraged on the United States Senate right before Christmas,” Lee said During a speech made on the Senate floor. “This bill, in all 4,155 pages of its glory — or infamy — was negotiated in secret by four or five members of Congress.”

“They wrote it in secret with the design of making an artificial emergency, threatening a shutdown right before Christmas,” He went on.

McConnell worked together with Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader (D-NY), to get the legislation passed in the Senate. McConnell supported the omnibus because it was a necessary investment for the U.S. army. “The bipartisan government funding bill before this body is imperfect but strong. It will make huge new investments in our Armed Forces while cutting non-defense, non-veterans baseline spending in real dollars,” He stated this in a statement.

Biden requested that $858 billion be allocated to military spending. This is $45 billion less than the bill. The bill also includes $772.5 billion for non-defense discretionary expenditures.

The bill for $1.7 trillion is loaded With earmarks and carveouts as well as favors for many lawmakers. It also includes provisions like $410 million for border security funding for countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan. As an example of questionable spending, Dan Bishop (Royal Democrat) pointed this provision out.

Additionally, the bill includes $1.2 million. “LGBTQIA+ Pride Centers,” Equity Institute in Rhode Island: $477,000 “to indoctrinate teachers with ‘antiracism virtual labs,’” According to The Heritage Foundation, it was $3 million for the American LGBTQ+ Museum.

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