Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown on Saturday as a bipartisan coalition in the House passed a stopgap plan to keep the federal government funded until mid-November. The bill, which was also approved by the Senate and signed by President Biden, ensured that money would continue to flow to government agencies and provided funding for disaster recovery efforts. Despite the absence of funding for Ukraine, Democrats supported the plan to prevent a government disruption. Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who had previously resisted working with Democrats, presented the proposal to Republicans and relied on Democratic support for it to pass.
The decision to pass the stopgap bill came after weeks of back-and-forth negotiations and failed attempts to secure sufficient Republican support. Democrats initially criticized McCarthy for rushing the plan and limiting scrutiny, but they ultimately prioritized preventing a government shutdown over funding for Ukraine. While some Republicans voted against the bill due to its maintenance of Democratic spending levels, a majority supported it, resulting in its passage. House Republicans who refused to back the measure and the absence of severe immigration restrictions in the bill point to potential challenges for McCarthy’s speakership.
This temporary solution to the spending fight is not the end of the issue, as both the House and the Senate continue to struggle with yearlong spending bills. Deep spending cuts, an end to aid for Ukraine, and immigration restrictions are among the demands of House Republicans, while senators advocate for higher funding levels and support for Ukraine. The gap between the parties and chambers on spending remains significant. Federal agencies were prepared to close in the absence of a stopgap bill, leaving essential workers unpaid and jeopardizing assistance for low-income individuals. The House’s right-wing faction, resistant to any plan avoiding a funding lapse, presented a significant obstacle to resolving the issue.
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