The United States Senate on Thursday passed a bipartisan budget and debt deal backed by President Donald Trump following its passage through the House of Representatives and is expected to prevent a potential government shutdown and automatic spending cuts.

The budget deal passed the Senate with 67 votes for it while 28 voted against it. Last week, the House passed the deal 284-149 in a vote in which several Republicans voted against it.

President Trump is expected to sign the deal which would increase the country’s spending and raise the debt ceiling for the next two years.

The agreement also raises the deficit, which has increased since President Trump assumed office two years ago.

The deal is also expected to raise military and non-military spending. Defense spending is to increase from $716 billion in 2019 to $738 billion in the 2020 fiscal year and then $$740 billion in 2021.

On the other hand, spending on various non-military programs is expected to increase from $605 billion in 2019 to $632 billion in 2020 and $634.5 billion in 2021. Non-military programs include border patrol, forest management and space exploration.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had urged all members of the body to support the agreement ahead of the vote in which doubts lingered over his ability to galvanise sufficient Republican support for it.

Several conservative Republicans had previously expressed their concerns that the budget package is too expensive.