What's left out of the government's funding deal?

Although the Senate approved a reduced and temporary government spending plan, which, when approved by President Joe Biden, will avoid the shutdown of the federal government, Some projects were left out of the financing package.

The law finances the government until March 14, but, For starters, it will retain millions of dollars in projected aid to address recent natural disasters. affecting hundreds of thousands of American households. However, other projects will also be affected.

Increase to the debt ceiling

Republicans consider including an increase in the debt ceiling, but only after a year of having governed and analyzing how the budget is being spent.

Under this scenario, lawmakers would have until mid-2025 to re-examine the debt ceiling; Meanwhile, the Treasury Department would be responsible for covering the nation’s accounts.

At the moment, the nation’s debt is $36.2 trillion.

Salary increases for legislators

The chance for lawmakers to receive their first pay raise since 2009, which would have allowed members to receive an automatic cost-of-living adjustment to their base salaries of $174,000 per year, disappeared, as did the option to enroll them in the Program of Federal Employee Health Benefits, this in lieu of their access to health coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

Pharmaceutical benefits

The government’s financing package once again ruled out the possibility that intermediaries between drug manufacturers and insurers would eliminate the so-called “differential price”, that is, the retention of part of the payment they receive from pharmacies for the medications.

Refund of stolen food stamps

Unlike the past two years when congressionally authorized states had been refunding stolen food stamps by cloning cloning devices obtained using recipients’ Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card information, Now this no longer entered the government budget financing law.

Funding for pediatric cancer research

Federal funding for the National Institutes of Health’s Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program was no longer authorized, but through a separate bill it will receive resources of $12.5 million annually through 2028.

Keep reading:

• Trump endorses new budget plan to avoid government shutdown

• Alert for closure of Biden’s government due to lack of budget agreement in Congress and pressure from Trump

• US Congressional leaders reach agreement to avoid government shutdown