Representatives of the Republican and Democratic parties in the U.S. Congress reached a $1.66 trillion funding agreement for 2024. This will allow to avert a partial government shutdown.
This is reported by Reuters.
The proposed budget includes a record $886 billion for defense and $704 billion for non-defense spending. Part of the budget should be passed by Jan. 19, and the second part by Feb. 2.
U.S. President Joe Biden said the agreement brought the country closer to avoiding an unnecessary shutdown and protecting important national priorities.
The document provides for the extension of the Ukraine Security Initiative, which Biden initiated at the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, until 2027.
Republicans used the upcoming shutdown as a lever of pressure on the White House. It was their "trump card" in negotiations on changes in immigration laws and a $61 billion package of military aid to Ukraine.
The text of the agreement on the border and immigration policy may be released as early as this week.
Earlier "Apostrophe" reported that Coordinator of the White House National Security Council said that the USA no longer has sufficient funding to provide Ukraine with new military aid packages.