WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- President Bush on Monday signed a bill that will pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the remainder of his presidency and into spring 2009 . President Bush on Monday said the men and women of the armed forces deserve `` our unflinching support . '' The supplemental spending bill provides nearly $ 162 billion in war funding without the restrictions congressional Democrats vowed to put into place since they took control of Congress nearly two years ago . After signing the bill , Bush said the men and woman of the armed services are owed `` our unflinching support , and the best way to demonstrate that support is to give them the resources they need to do their jobs and to prevail . '' Bush also said he appreciated that `` Republicans and Democrats in Congress agreed to provide these vital funds without tying the hands of our commanders and without an artificial timetable of withdrawal from Iraq . '' Watch as Bush thanks Congress » . `` This bill shows the American people that even in an election year , Republicans and Democrats can come together to stand behind our troops and their families , '' Bush said . He also touted the success of the `` surge '' strategy he implemented last year . `` Our troops have driven the terrorists and extremists from many strongholds in Iraq . Today , violence is at the lowest level since March of 2004 , '' he said . `` As a result of this progress , some of our troops are coming home , as a result of our policy called 'Return on Success . ' We welcome them home . '' White Houses spokeswoman Dana Perino called the bill a victory for the president . `` Because we have seen success in the surge , perhaps Congress decided that it was OK to allow the commander in chief to be able to move forward as he saw fit , '' said Perino , noting the $ 162 billion was the same amount that the president had requested . The supplemental spending bill also contains a new GI Bill that expands education benefits for veterans who have served since the 9/11 attacks , provides a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits and more than $ 2 billion in disaster assistance for parts of the Midwest that have been hit by record floods . The signing comes two weeks before the deadline that Defense Secretary Robert Gates had established for the funds . Gates said he would consider laying off Defense Department employees to balance the Pentagon 's books if legislation was not signed by July 15 . Watch a progress report from the U.S. ambassador to Iraq » . House Democrats had tried to include restrictions on war funding when they drafted the bill , but they were unable to overcome procedural hurdles that Republicans put up . A compromise version of the supplemental bill was later negotiated between Democratic and Republican leaders that included the war funding along with the GI Bill , unemployment benefits and disaster relief -- three top legislative priorities for the Democrats that Bush and congressional Republicans originally resisted . `` At a time when 2 million men and women have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan and when our troops have had to endure multiple deployments , stop-loss policies , insufficient equipment and an unclear strategy , giving them the opportunity to fuel our future economy is the least we can do , '' Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nevada , said of the GI Bill after the Senate sent it to the president 's desk Thursday night . Congressional Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives and Senate after the 2006 midterm elections in large part to due to displeasure over the Iraq war . But Democrats -- lacking the 60 votes to overcome GOP filibusters in the Senate , let alone the two-thirds majorities in both the House and Senate to override a presidential veto -- have been unable to pass significant restrictions on war funding because Republicans , for the most part , have stuck with Bush on the war .
NEW : Defense Department spokeswoman calls bill a victory for President Bill . Bush signs supplemental spending bill with $ 162 billion for wars . Legislation funds Afghanistan and Iraq wars through March of 2004 without restrictions . Bill also contains veteran education and unemployment benefits and disaster relief .