Biden signs $1.7 trillion funding bill to avert government shutdown

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden signed a $1.7 trillion bipartisan funding bill Thursday to avert a government shutdown, saying he is "looking forward to more" next year.

"Today, I signed the bipartisan omnibus bill, ending a year of historic progress," Biden said on Twitter. "It'll invest in medical research, safety, veteran health care, disaster recovery, VAWA funding – and gets crucial assistance to Ukraine."

"Looking forward to more in 2023," he added.

The bill cleared the House of Representatives with a 225-201 vote hours before a shutdown Friday, after passing the Senate 68-29 on Thursday. It will fund federal agencies until Sept. 30, 2023.

The legislation also codifies a ban on using the social media app TikTok on nearly all US government-issued devices, replacing patchwork initiatives previously limited to a handful of government agencies.

The ban will cover nearly all government agencies.