Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
President Joe Biden in Las Vegas on March 19, 2024.
CNN
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President Joe Biden signed a $1.2 trillion bill Saturday that completes funding for federal agencies through the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.
The House passed the bill on Friday, and the Senate passed it early Saturday morning.
The bill addresses a range of important government operations, including the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, Department of State, and the Legislature.
Biden, who received the bill Saturday in Wilmington, Delaware, said in a statement that the bill is a “compromise” but “good news for the American people.”
“This agreement represents a compromise and means both sides got everything they wanted,” Biden said in a statement, including investments in child care, cancer research and mental health. But he added, “We reject extreme cuts from House Republicans.”
The president also highlighted how the final package includes “resources to secure our borders that my administration has worked hard to include.”
Biden used the statement to urge Congress to pass additional legislation, saying “the job is not done.” He called on the House to “pass a bipartisan national security supplement bill to advance our nation's national security interests,” calling on the House to pass a bipartisan national security supplement bill that his administration has negotiated, calling it “the worst in decades.” He urged both houses of Congress to pass the bill, calling it the toughest and fairest reform.
“Now is the time to get this done,” Biden added.
The bill's signing marks a significant moment on Capitol Hill, bringing an end to an annual appropriations process that has dragged on far longer than usual. The effort has been disrupted by partisan policy disagreements and historic changes in Congressional leadership. The House of Representatives took office last year after conservatives ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in an unprecedented vote.
This bill is the second part of a two-step government funding process. Another six-bill funding package signed earlier this month includes funding for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Interior, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and the Food and Drug Administration. It was included. administrative, military construction, and other federal programs;
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Samantha Woldenberg contributed to this report.
