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Washington / Mainz (dpa / lrs) - The Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister Roger Lewentz (SPD) described the vote of the US Congress on the defense budget of the United States as a "very positive signal" right at the beginning of the year.
This applies in particular to the Eifel region and also numerous German jobs in the state, the minister announced on Saturday.
For the first time during Donald Trump's tenure, the US Congress had overturned a presidential veto.
After the House of Representatives, the Senate also overruled Trump's veto on the US defense budget package on Friday.
Despite the lack of a signature from Trump, the billions of dollars can now come into force.
Democrats and Republicans have also stipulated that Trump's planned massive withdrawal of US soldiers from Germany will be blocked for the time being.
The text of the law states that the US Secretary of Defense must state in a report to Congress whether such a withdrawal would be in the national interest of the US.
The number of US soldiers stationed in the Federal Republic may fall below the limit of 34,500 at the earliest 120 days later.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Spangdahlem Air Base in the Eifel would be particularly affected by the withdrawal plans.
The airfield is also an employer for around 700 German employees.
"The Rhineland-Palatinate state government stands by the presence of US soldiers in the country and is also aware of the strategic importance of the locations and units for the USA, to which the Congress has clearly committed itself," said Lewentz.
"A withdrawal would be accompanied by a weakening of US interests."