US Congress passes a nearly $1.7 trillion spending budget bill

The US Congress has passed a nearly USD 1.7 trillion (AED 6.24 trillion) spending bill - most likely averting a partial government shutdown.

The House of Representatives passed the bill on Friday afternoon by 225 votes to 201.

The bill will now go to President Joe Biden, who needs to sign it before midnight.

The package will fund the US government all through the next fiscal year, to 30 September.

It had passed the Senate on Thursday by 68 to 29 in a cross-party vote.

The 4,155-page budget contains measures to bolster US defence and funds for US domestic priorities.

The bumper package contains USD 772 billion (AED 2.8 trillion) for domestic programmes, USD 858 billion (AED 3.2 trillion) for defence, and about USD 38 billion (AED 1.4 trillion) for regions recovering from natural disasters.

It is expected to be the last major bill of the current Congress before Republicans take control of the House in January after November's midterm elections.