The Senate has passed a stopgap funding bill to avert a federal government shutdown, just after the midnight deadline for funding. Earlier in the evening, the House approved the plan following two failed attempts earlier in the week. President Joe Biden has indicated he will sign the legislation once it reaches his desk.
The bill extends government funding into March, ensuring continued operations for federal agencies. It also includes provisions for disaster relief and support for farmers. Notably, the measure does not address the suspension of the debt limit—a key issue that President-elect Donald Trump has urged Republicans to prioritize.
This short-term funding solution buys Congress more time to negotiate a comprehensive spending plan while avoiding the immediate disruption of a shutdown. However, the debate over unresolved issues, including the debt limit, remains contentious and is likely to resurface in the coming months.
“We have a unified Republican conference. There’s a unanimous agreement in the room that we need to move forward,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said. “I will not telegraph to you the specific details of that yet because I’ve got a couple of things I’ve gotta wrap up in a few moments upstairs. But I expect that we will be proceeding forward.”
“We will not have a government shutdown,” he emphasized. “And we will meet our obligations for our farmers who need aid, for the disaster victims all over the country, and for making sure that military and essential services, and everyone who relies upon the federal government for a paycheck gets paid over the holidays.”
