The House is preparing to vote on the spending bill to avoid closure



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WASHINGTON – The House is expected to pass a supply bill Wednesday to increase military spending for the next fiscal year and keep the government open until December 7, leaving legislation in the hands of President Trump before the funding expires on Oct. 1.

The president on Wednesday dismissed fears of a budget conflict likely to result in a closure. "We will keep the government open," said Trump.

The bill finances the Departments of Defense, Education, Labor and Health and Social Services and is the second in a series of bills on minibus credits. The Senate has already voted 93-7 to approve this measure, which increases by almost $ 20 billion the funding of the Department of Defense, provides an increase of 2.6% for the military and 3.8 billion to fight against the opioid epidemic. last year.

The bill proposed by Mr. Trump along the border with Mexico was not retained. Instead, the bill funds several departments and agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, until December 7 by a so-called "continuing resolution," postponing a legislative battle over a single promises from Mr. Trump's central campaign. Nov. 6

Mr. Trump had already mentioned the possibility that he might refuse to sign the expense bill and close the government if he does not provide money for the proposed wall. "I want to know, where is the money for border security and the wall in this ridiculous spending bill, and where will it come after the break?", A tweeted the president last week.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (Wis.) Said Wednesday that Trump had announced that he would sign the spending bill before the government runs out of money at the end of the month. . A government shutdown a few weeks before the elections could create new political difficulties for congressional Republicans, who must already fight to retain their majority in the House of Representatives after the November elections.

"I am sure he will sign it," Ryan said. "As you have seen, the Senate passed 93-7. It finances our military, it finances opioids, it does a lot of things that we all want to do together and I had very good conversations with the president.

The bill also increases spending by the National Institutes of Health to $ 39 billion, an increase of $ 2 billion, and provides for a 1.6% increase in the Pell maximum grant for students with financial needs.

Representative Tom Cole (R., Okla.), Member of the Credit Committee, said that it was "a very good bill" that he expects from the from the President, especially in view of the increase in military expenditure.

"I think that if the bill had not been passed, it would be a disservice to all Americans and all women in uniform," he said. "It's their pay increase, it's their equipment, it's what they need to operate and be safe." Why would we play politics with something like this?

Trump has already signed an old minibus bill that funds energy and veterans ministries in the coming fiscal year.

Write to Andrew Duehren at [email protected]

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