President Biden avoided a government shutdown by signing a short-term funding bill on Thursday, setting up a larger spending battle in Congress for early next year. The bill received final approval from the Senate on Wednesday, just 48 hours before the shutdown deadline on Friday. The approved bill funds congressional priorities including military construction, veterans affairs, transportation, housing, and the Energy Department through January 19, with other agencies funded until February 2. However, the spending plan did not include additional aid for Israel or Ukraine.
The bill funds federal agencies at current levels and does not contain any policy conditions, a win for Democrats who had insisted on such a bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed the bipartisan cooperation that kept the government open without any “poison pills” or harmful cuts to vital programs. Speaker Mike Johnson, who designed the package, expressed opposition to supporting any more stopgap funding plans, setting the stage for a future “fight” with the Senate in 2024. Meanwhile, President Biden was in San Francisco attending a summit of Asian-Pacific economies on the day the bill was signed, reflecting the ongoing priorities and challenges for the administration.
In summary, the bill signed by President Biden averted a government shutdown by providing short-term funding through January and February for key congressional priorities. The impasse over additional aid for Israel or Ukraine and the absence of policy conditions in the funding bill reflect the ongoing tension between the parties in Congress. The temporary measure was hailed as a bipartisan success, but Speaker Mike Johnson’s opposition to future stopgap funding plans sets the stage for future battles over federal spending in 2024.
