Congress unveils $1.2 trillion government funding package, including $19.6 billion for border protection and $495 million for additional guards

Lawmakers unveiled a $1.2 trillion package to keep the government funded just days before the shutdown deadline at the end of the week.

The sprawling plan of more than 1,000 pages includes provisions to strengthen border security, increase the military budget and ban cash for the main aid agency for the Palestinians.

Six of the 12 annual government spending budgets have been bundled, and Republicans have celebrated cuts in areas such as diversity and foreign aid.

It now faces a sprint to be passed by the House of Representatives and Senate before Saturday’s deadline, when funding for government agencies expires.

The package increases investments at the border amid the historic migrant crisis and includes a list of conservative cultural victories.

There is a provision that states that only American flags may be flown above embassies. In the event of a victory, Speaker Mike Johnson is said to have touted that Pride flags would be banned from US embassies around the world.

It also prevents the Consumer Product Safety Commission from banning gas stoves and enforces the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding from being used for abortions.

For the border, there is $19.6 billion available for Customs and Border Protection, an increase of $3.2 billion over fiscal year 2023.

There is also $495 million for additional Border Patrol agents, which the Biden administration has requested, but no money for the wall. The money will be used to pay 22,000 border agents.

The number of immigrant detention beds would be increased from 34,000 to 42,000 in migrant facilities across the country and funding for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) would be cut by 20 percent.

Foreign aid will be cut overall by six percent.

For the military, there is a 5.2 percent pay increase for soldiers.

Funding for most defense agencies would remain at current spending levels.

Funding has been cut for a United Nations agency that provides aid to Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA. It also cuts funding for a UN agency investigating Israel’s alleged war crimes.

Israel accused twelve of UNRWA’s thirty thousand employees of participating in the October 7 attack. They accused another 190 employees of being Hamas or Islamic Jihad operatives.

About $20 billion will be cut from the IRS and another $6 billion in Covid relief funds will be recovered.

JUNE 25, 2020: The US national flag and an LGBT pride flag on the facade of the US Embassy in Moscow

For the border, there is $19.6 billion for Customs and Border Protection, an increase of $3.2 billion from FY 2023

The defense appropriations section of the bill includes $500 million for Israeli defense programs, which will fund the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow.

The defense bill also bans any funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology and EcoHealth Alliance, believed to be the place of origin of Covid-19.

Another $3.3 billion will go to Israel under the State Foreign Operations section of the bill, with new conditions for any aid to Gaza and provisions to prevent the money from being used to move the Israeli embassy from Jerusalem or to implement a nuclear deal with Iran. .

Democrats touted a list of investments in the package, including a $1 billion jump in child care, boosts for cancer and Alzheimer’s research and the addition of 12,000 special immigrant visas for Afghan refugees who fled the Taliban during the US withdrawal

They could also tout a one-year extension of international HIV/AIDS prevention efforts under a program known as PEPFAR.

Ultra-conservatives are furious that the 1,000-page bill was released at 3am on Thursday and that they are unlikely to get three days to read it, following the 72-hour rule.

They mentioned the $200 million dollars for a new FBI headquarters and $300 million going to the Ukraine Assistance Initiative.

“The new swamp spending package released while you slept includes $200 MILLION for a new FBI headquarters. We can’t fix an armed government if we fund it,” said Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., on X.

Johnson has called the new legislation a “serious commitment” to “strengthening our national defense” and moving the military to its “core mission.”

“This Fiscal Year 24 appropriations legislation is a serious commitment to strengthening our national defense by moving the Pentagon to focus on its core mission while expanding support for our courageous men and women who serve in uniform,” he said.

“Importantly, this will end funding for the United Nations agency that employed terrorists who took part in the October 7 attacks on Israel,” Johnson added.

Appropriations Chairman Kay Granger, R-Texas, hailed the bill as a victory and urged colleagues to vote for it.

“This bill funds our highest national security priorities – investing in a more modern, innovative and decisive military force, continuing our strong support for our great ally Israel, and providing important resources for border enforcement. At the same time, we have made cuts to programs that have nothing to do with our national security and withdrawn billions from the government.”