US Republican leader Mitch McConnell stunned the Senate on Monday by rejecting President Joe Biden’s budget plan for the 2023 fiscal year.
McConnell rejected the $5.79 trillion budget plan stating it has an inadequate allocation for the defense that currently has to be a priority—due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. “First and foremost, at a dangerous time, the president's budget falls woefully short on defense spending,” the Republican leader said.
McConnell also mentioned that Biden’s budget would be a setback for the US Armed Forces.
Inside the $5.79 trillion budget plan
The budget plan for the fiscal year 2023 primarily focused on affordable housing and healthcare. The minimum tax for the country’s billionaires and defense spending were also given priority in the 156-page proposed plan.
An amount of $813.3 billion was allocated for defense spending, which is 10% more than last year. Around $3.7 trillion was planned for mandatory programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. $50 billion was allocated for the construction of affordable housing; many aspects of the plan turned out to be beneficial for the public.
The budget also planned to provide $26 billion for NASA to boost the development of space exploration programs.
Support stands strong for Biden’s budget plan
The House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth exhibited disapproval of Senator McConnell’s rejection of the plan saying, “Tell me one source that he has for that...have him find me somebody in the Pentagon who says the same thing he does.”
