WASHINGTON – US congressional leaders on Wednesday reached a compromise ona $1.3 trillion budget bill which sets aside $1.6 billion for PresidentDonald Trump’s wall along the border with Mexico and contained legislativesteps on gun reforms.
The bill also reflects the freeze on aid to Pakistan worth $2 billion.
Aimed at keeping the government funded till October, the 2,232-page billmust be passed by congress and signed into law by Friday. It is the firstpart of a massive two-year spending law signed by Trump in February.
As agreed upon at that time, the bill boosts defence spending — a keydemand of Trump and Republicans — by $80 billion. It also gives a $63billion boost to health and social care programmes, a priority forDemocrats.
Congressional leaders from both sides hailed portions of the compriseaddressed their respective priorities. Republicans said it made the US“stronger at home and abroad” and for Democrats, it put “workers andfamilies first”.
For Trump, the priority was the wall and military spending. “Got $1.6Billion to start Wall on Southern Border, rest will be forthcoming. Mostimportantly, got $700 Billion to rebuild our Military, $716 Billion nextyear…most ever. Had to waste money on Dem giveaways in order to take careof military pay increase and new equipment,” he tweeted.