Trump Averts Shutdown, Signs Spending Package on Way Home for Christmas
President Donald Trump on Friday signed two federal spending packages that will avert a government shutdown.
Trump signed a defense bill at Joint Base Andrews and a second bill authorizing domestic spending while on Air Force One heading to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, as Fox News reported.
Aboard Air Force One, @POTUS @realDonaldTrump signed the Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriations Legislation into law.
— Judd Deere (@JuddPDeere45) December 21, 2019
Trump said in a statement that the bills “continue to advance our pro-growth, pro-worker, pro-family, America First agenda.”
“The legislation increases access to affordable and high-quality child care for American families,” the president said.
“It also expands apprenticeships and workforce development programs and extends the paid parental leave tax credit and the work opportunity tax credit, providing grant incentives for businesses to hire and retain well-qualified employees,” Trump said, adding that it allocates $75 million for the FIRST STEP Act, which seeks to reduce the nation’s prison population while helping released offenders find jobs.
Trump noted that the budget legislation is a victory for the pro-life movement.
“We continue to defend America’s most vulnerable, the unborn. The legislation preserves all pro-life protections like the Hyde Amendment; rejects Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s anti-life amendment that could have increased funding for pro-abortion organizations; and rejects all anti-life riders in the partisan versions of these bills that originally passed the House, including one that would have undermined my Administration’s pro-life Title X rule,” he said.
During remarks at Joint Base Andrews, Trump said the defense portion of the budget represented the “largest-ever investment in the United States military,” according to a White House media pool report.
Trump said the bill gives the military the tools it needs.
“In addition to massive acquisitions, in the past two years, this bill authorizes nearly 100 new F-35s; 24 brand-new F/A-18s; 155 Army helicopters, of all different types; 165 brand-new, beautiful Abrams tanks, said to be the best in the world; more than 50 Paladin howitzers; two new Virginia-class submarines; the new Arleigh Burke destroyers; a Ford-Class aircraft carrier, and two others on their way; and much, much more,” he said.
Trump tweeted about some of the positives in the budget for the military and veterans.
I will be signing our 738 Billion Dollar Defense Spending Bill today. It will include 12 weeks Paid Parental Leave, gives our troops a raise, importantly creates the SPACE FORCE, SOUTHERN BORDER WALL FUNDING, repeals “Cadillac Tax” on Health Plans, raises smoking age to 21! BIG!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2019
Last year I signed legislation that gives our Veterans CHOICE, through private providers, and at urgent care facilities! Today we fully funded this $10 billion a year effort that gets our brave Veterans care quickly, and close to home.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2019
We will always provide for our Veterans and their mental health. I pushed Congress to provide $10 Billion for Vet mental health, suicide prevention outreach, and funding for my PREVENTS Initiative to end Vet suicide. Congress responded. A big win for our Vets!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2019
Honored to finally put an end to the “Widow’s Tax” and ensure that our surviving military spouses receive their full benefits. The spouses and families of our fallen heroes have suffered enough and WE must do everything in our power to ease the burden.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2019
“Finally, we have secured the funds and resources for our military — our national security,” Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby said in a statement.
“This package includes a significant increase in defense funding and the largest pay raise in a decade for our men and women in uniform,” the Alabama Republican added.
The spending legislation gives Trump $1.4 billion to erect new parts of his border wall project, the New York Post reported.
The budget deal also give Trump the ability to tap defense-related accounts to boost the amount of construction done.
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