In a bipartisan effort, Congress has successfully passed a stopgap bill, averting a potential partial government shutdown by extending federal funding through early March. The bill, which now heads to President Joe Biden's desk for approval, received significant support in both the Democratic-led Senate and the Republican-led House. This third stopgap measure since September last year reflects the ongoing challenges faced by a divided Congress in agreeing on full-year government funding bills.
The Senate passed the bill with a substantial majority, voting 77-18 in favor. Shortly after, the House followed suit, approving the measure by a vote of 314-108. The bill aims to extend federal funding from the original deadlines of January 19 and February 2 to new dates of March 1 and March 8. This extension is designed to provide lawmakers with additional time to negotiate and pass the 12 appropriations bills required to fully fund the government.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have recently reached an agreement on spending levels for the new year, sparking optimism about completing the appropriations process. However, challenges remain, as right-wing House Republicans have expressed opposition to the agreement. Speaker Johnson is working to avoid a fate similar to his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, by highlighting conservative victories in the deal.
The urgency of passing the stopgap bill was underscored by Schumer's criticism of the "hard-right" faction in Congress, which he accused of viewing a government shutdown as a favorable outcome to push their agenda. The passage of the bill also came amidst preparations for an impending winter storm, prompting the House to expedite the voting process.
The funding extension is separate from ongoing negotiations regarding an immigration and national security supplemental bill, which includes aid for Ukraine and Israel. Speaker Johnson has emphasized the importance of moving away from massive, last-minute spending bills, commonly known as omnibus bills, to ensure more effective governance.
The stopgap bill's passage highlights the delicate balance that Speaker Johnson must maintain within his party, as evidenced by the nearly equal split among House Republicans in their votes. The challenge now lies in navigating the complex process of passing the full-year spending bills by the new March deadlines, amid deep divisions over policy priorities and spending levels.
As Congress works towards these goals, the stopgap bill serves as a temporary solution to ensure the continuity of federal operations and avoid a shutdown, while the larger task of long-term government funding remains a critical issue to be addressed in the coming weeks.
