In a last-minute effort, the US Congress has passed a government funding bill to prevent a shutdown, providing relief for federal workers and averting disruptions to national parks and law enforcement.
US Avoids Government Shutdown with Last-Minute Funding Bill
The United States House and Senate have passed a government funding bill that will prevent a government shutdown. With a 366-34 vote, the House approved the new plan from House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday night.
Bipartisan Effort Prevents Government Disruption
Both houses of Congress passed a three-month funding bill that will avert a government shutdown that would have disrupted everything from law enforcement to national parks. The Democratic-controlled Senate passed the bill with an 85-11 vote, just 38 minutes after it lapsed at midnight local time (0500 UTC/GMT).
Relief for Federal Workers
The passing of the funding bill provided immediate relief for about 800,000 federal workers who were at risk of being sent home for the Christmas holidays without pay. Johnson had said Congress would “meet our obligations” and not allow federal operations to cease ahead of the winter holidays.
Week of Tense Negotiations
A week of tense negotiations preceded the late-night vote, with President-elect Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk defeating an initial bipartisan deal that threw Congress into disarray. The criticism from his own party forced Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to spend much of Friday trying to find a last-ditch agreement.
Debt Ceiling and Funding
The White House said President Joe Biden intended to sign the bill into law, which extends government funding till March 14 and provides $100 billion (€960 million) for disaster-hit states and $10 billion for farmers. The legislation also extends agricultural and food aid programs that were due to expire at the end of the year.
Impact on Federal Budget
The federal government spent roughly $6.2 trillion last year and has more than $36 trillion in debt. Congress will now need to act by the middle of next year to authorize further borrowing, as the incoming president has vowed to slash the federal budget and fire thousands of employees when he takes office next month.
Musk’s Role in Budget-Cutting Task Force
Musk will head a budget-cutting task force under Trump’s second administration but will hold no official position in Washington. The billionaire has been accused of interfering in the process, with questions raised over how an unelected citizen can wield so much power.
