Senate Greenlights Bill To Prevent Government Shutdown, Heads To Biden's Desk

The U.S. Senate has approved a bill to prevent a partial government shutdown, with less than 36 hours remaining before funds would have started to deplete. The bill received backing from the House of Representatives and now awaits President Joe Biden‘s signature.

What Happened: The bill, passed with a 77-13 bipartisan vote in the Senate, sets funding deadlines for different sections of the government – one part by March 8 and the other by March 22, Reuters reported.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressed relief on the Senate floor, stating “When we pass this bill, we will have, thank God, avoided a shutdown with all its harmful effects on the American people.”

Earlier, the bill was approved in the House with a 320-99 vote, where 207 Democrats joined 113 Republicans. The short-term stopgap measure provides Congress additional time to agree on funding for the full fiscal year that began on Oct. 1.

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Despite the approval of this temporary funding bill, Congress could still face potential disputes in the coming weeks over funding levels for various programs that conservatives wish to cut back.

Why It Matters: The Senate’s decision comes after President Joe Biden urged Congress to finalize the 12 funding bills to finance federal agencies, including additional funding for international commitments such as Ukraine’s defense against Russia.

The recent developments are part of a series of ongoing funding negotiations. In January, the House narrowly avoided a shutdown by passing a continuing resolution, extending the funding deadlines to Mar. 8, 2024. However, the House Republicans’ division over a spending agreement has been a recurring issue.

The recent vote reflects the ongoing challenges faced by the House in reaching a consensus on funding bills, with the dissatisfaction among Republicans posing a significant hurdle.

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