Trump signs bills to avoid shutdown, scrap Obamacare taxes and raise tobacco buying age – By Jacob Pramuk (CNBC) / Dec 20 2019
- President Donald Trump signed bills Friday to prevent a government shutdown and make major changes to U.S. health policy.
- The legislation, which boosts funding for both domestic programs and the military, keeps the government running through Sept. 30.
- The sprawling bills go beyond just preventing a shutdown. They scrap some taxes used to fund the Affordable Care Act, including the “Cadillac tax” on high-cost plans. They also hike the age for tobacco purchases to 21.
President Donald Trump signed bills Friday to prevent a government shutdown and make major changes to U.S. health policy.
The president approved the $1.4 trillion appropriations package with only hours to spare before funding lapsed Saturday. The legislation, which boosts funding for both domestic programs and the military, keeps the government running through Sept. 30.
In a statement from the White House press office, Trump said, “The government funding bills I just signed into law contain big victories for my Administration and the American people. They enable us to continue to advance our pro-growth, pro-worker, pro-family, America First agenda.”
The sprawling bills go beyond just preventing a shutdown. They scrap some taxes used to fund the Affordable Care Act, including the “Cadillac tax” on high-cost plans. They also hike the age for tobacco purchases to 21.
The package came together after Congress had to pass two short-term plans to keep money flowing to federal departments earlier this year. Lawmakers passed legislation to suspend the U.S. debt limit and set budget levels for two years, but they struggled to decide where to appropriate the money.
Continue to article: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/21/trump-signs-bills-to-avoid-shutdown-scrap-obamacare-taxes-and-raise-tobacco-buying-age.html
