(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The US House of Representatives approved a USD 1.1 trillion government spending bill that will extend funding to most of the US government through the end of September.
House Democrats strayed away from voting for the bill due to a disagreement with provisions that would ease Wall Street regulations and increase the amount individual donors can contribute to national political party committees. But Democratic President Barack Obama was in favor of the bill and voiced his support by personally calling House legislators and asked them to pass it.
In a rare rebuttal of the President's direction, Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she was, "enormously disappointed" in Obama for pushing the largely Republican endorsed bill.
Analysts and some Republicans argue that the bill provides further benefits to Obama's policies because it provides additional funding to immigration and keeps funding for the affordable care act.
Other funding provisions in the bill include support to Egypt that may receive USD 1.3 billion in military aid and USD 150 million in economic aid. Israel could receive USD 3.1 billion in total aid plus USD 619.8 million in defense aid. The bill stops assistance to the Palestinian Authority if it becomes a member of the UN or UN agencies without an agreement with Israel, the Washington Post indicated.
The Senate agreed to a two-day extension of current funding to give itself time to approve the bill, which it likely will. Then if approved, it will be sent to Obama who should sign it into law.
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