Washington, Dec 10 (IANS/EFE) US Congressional leaders have agreed on a budget bill of $1 trillion to finance the federal government until 2015 and avert a government shutdown like the one which occurred last year.
The budget bill was presented Tuesday and needs to be approved by both houses of the US Congress by Thursday in order to avoid administrative paralysis.
A few Congressmen have said that the measure would be passed before the deadline and the US government would not face another shutdown.
The bill will finance most government institutions until September 2015, except the Department of Homeland Security which will receive funds until Feb 27 under a continuous resolution mechanism.
This has given time to the Republicans to plan a legislative strategy in response to President Barack Obama's decision to use executive powers to regularise the legal status of over five million immigrants.
The bill includes a provision of $5.4 billion expenditure to control the Ebola virus disease, as well as $64 billion for overseas military operations, including the fight against the Islamic State Sunni radical group in Syria and Iraq, and aid to European countries facing threats from Russia.
The budget also includes $542 billion in military expenditure and $429 billion for the rest of the federal agencies.
However, it does not incorporate additional costs for Obama's healthcare reform.
In case the voting faces a delay, legislators added that there were mechanisms to extend the funds for a few more days and avoid any shutdown.
--IANS/EFE
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