President Biden signed a stopgap funding bill on Saturday night to avoid a government shutdown just before the midnight deadline. The bill, which passed with wide margins in both the House and Senate, will continue funding the government at current spending levels until mid-November. It includes $16 billion in disaster relief but does not provide aid for Ukraine or make changes to border policy. Biden urged Congress to pass government funding bills for the next fiscal year, emphasizing that the American people expect their government to work.
The signing of the bill into law marks the end of a chaotic few weeks in Congress and a day full of surprises in the Capitol. Lawmakers had initially anticipated a shutdown, but after a failed vote on a GOP stopgap bill, Speaker Kevin McCarthy proposed a “clean” spending bill, which passed the House in a bipartisan vote. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised the bill as a victory for the American people and a defeat for extreme MAGA Republicans. The bill then also passed the Senate by a large majority.
Avoiding a government shutdown has significant implications for government operations and the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. It ensures that military service members will be paid, federal workers will not be furloughed, food assistance programs will continue uninterrupted, national parks will remain open, and travel will not be impacted. This funding extension provides some stability until Congress can pass appropriations bills for the next fiscal year and fulfill the expectations of the American people.