In a rare display of bipartisan cooperation, the Senate passed a short-term spending bill on Saturday night, just hours before the deadline to avoid a government shutdown.
The bill, which was approved by the House earlier in the day, keeps the government funded until November 15, giving lawmakers more time to negotiate a longer-term budget deal.
The bill also provides $28.6 billion in disaster relief for areas affected by hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters, as well as $6.3 billion for Afghan refugees and allies.
However, the bill does not include any new funding for Ukraine, which is facing a military threat from Russia. The U.S. has already provided more than $43 billion in security assistance to Kyiv since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
President Joe Biden signed the bill into law late Saturday night, averting a shutdown that would have disrupted essential services and furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
“I just signed a law to keep the government open for 47 days,” Biden wrote on social media platform X. “There’s plenty of time to pass Government funding bills for the next fiscal year, and I strongly urge Congress to get to work right away. The American people expect their government to work. Let’s make sure it does.”
The passage of the spending bill was a rare moment of unity in a deeply divided Congress, where Democrats and Republicans have clashed over issues such as infrastructure, social spending, debt ceiling, and voting rights.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who crafted the bill with Democratic leaders, praised the bipartisan cooperation.
“This is a good day for the American people,” McCarthy said. “We have avoided a shutdown that would have harmed our economy and our national security. We have provided relief for those who are suffering from natural disasters and humanitarian crises. And we have shown that we can work together for the common good.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also hailed the bill as a positive step.
“This is not the end of the road, but a detour,” Schumer said. “We still have a lot of work to do to pass a budget that reflects our values and priorities. But today we have shown that we can put aside our differences and keep the government open for the American people.”
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
