The US has narrowly avoided a government shutdown as the Senate has voted to pass a 45-day funding extension bill to prevent total disaster.
Throughout the week, both wings of Congress have gone back and forth as they try and strike a deal to fund federal agencies.
At midnight, if no deal was reached or no extension was filed, many government operations would have ground to a halt.
But, with over 300 ‘yes’ votes, the House approved a 45-day stopgap spending bill on Saturday, which contains aid for disaster relief.
Because of the procedural method House Speaker Kevin McCarthy used to expedite consideration of the measure, it required a two-thirds majority for passage.
However, the House vote passed 335-91. Just one Democrat and 90 Republicans refused to back McCarthy’s extension.
The bill was then passed to the Senate, which voted 88-9 in favour of the bill. All nine objectors were Republicans.
Joe Biden has also now signed the agreement before the midnight deadline.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said after the House vote: “There was an outcry from rank-and-file that want a [continuing resolution].
“We’re tired of f***ing around with these whack jobs. They voted against it yesterday, so let’s just put up a clean CR.”
In a bizarre moment, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) was caught on camera pulling the Cannon fire alarm as his party tried to delay a vote on the House GOP stopgap spending bill.
Bowman “pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning,” a spokesperson for the Republican-controlled Administration Committee said. “An investigation into why it was pulled is underway.”
Speaking to ABC News, a White House official said the bill keeps the Government open at higher funding levels than the Senate’s initial bill and includes disaster relief and FAA authorization.
The Biden administration also expects McCarthy to bring a separate bill to the floor “shortly”, with it being a separate measure for funding Ukraine’s war against Russia.
If no agreement was reached, most government employees would have been furloughed without pay, and some food assistance programs could stop.
Stay up to date with all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/ExpressUSNews and @ExpressUSNews
