Joe OKs $1.2T bill to keep gov’t up

President Biden signed the $1.2 trillion funding package Saturday to keep the federal government running.

“The bipartisan funding bill I just signed keeps the government open, invests in the American people, and strengthens our economy and national security. This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted,” he said.

“But I want to be clear: Congress’s work isn’t finished. The House must pass the bipartisan national security supplemental to advance our national security interests,” Biden added.

“And Congress must pass the bipartisan border security agreement — the toughest and fairest reforms in decades — to ensure we have the policies and funding needed to secure the border.”

After much delay and wrangling, the Senate passed the bill early Saturday, 74-24.

The bill mitigates a partial government shut down, which technically went into effect after the chamber blew past a midnight deadline to pass the bill.

“It’s been a very long and difficult day, but we have just reached an agreement to complete the job of funding the government,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said from the Senate floor after the vote.

“It is good for the country that we have reached this bipartisan deal. It wasn’t easy, but tonight our persistence has been worth it.”

The bill went through more tortuous process in the House.

Although Speaker Mike Johnson passed it with a wide bipartisan majority of 286-134, the conservative House Freedom Caucus blasted the bill at a news conference as “capitulation,” “surrender” and “chock full of crap.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) moved to remove Johnson as speaker.