US Approves Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Including Ukraine Support

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] The US House of Representatives passed the $1.7 trillion (2,181.1 trillion KRW) budget bill for the 2023 fiscal year on the 23rd (local time), the deadline for budget approval. With the bill passing both the Senate and the House, the feared federal government shutdown was averted.

On the same day, the House held a plenary session and approved the budget bill with 225 votes in favor and 201 against, then sent it to the White House.

The budget includes a $858 billion defense budget, $44.9 billion for military aid to Ukraine, $38 billion for emergency disaster relief, and funding related to key economic policies of the Joe Biden administration. Additionally, it contains provisions banning the use of the Chinese video-sharing app TikTok on government devices, reforms to voting and ballot counting laws to prevent a recurrence of the January 6 Capitol riot, and extensions of health insurance coverage.

This budget approval came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the US and made a bipartisan appeal during a congressional speech. However, only nine Republican lawmakers voted in favor.

The 2023 fiscal year budget bill will take effect immediately upon President Joe Biden’s signature. The US fiscal year 2022 ended on September 30, and the deadline for the temporary budget that allowed the government to operate based on the previous budget was also on this day. Considering the administrative time required until President Biden’s signature, the House also approved a one-week extension of the temporary budget spending on the same day.

President Biden stated in a press release, "This budget bill is further proof that Republicans and Democrats can work together for the American people," adding, "I hope bipartisan progress continues into the new year."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.