Last-Minute Deal Averts US Government Shutdown as House Passes Short-Term Funding

With mere hours remaining before a potential US government shutdown, the House of Representatives has successfully reached an agreement on a short-term funding deal.

This crucial bill, which extends government funding until mid-November but notably lacks additional aid for Ukraine, was overwhelmingly approved in the chamber by a vote of 335 to 91.

The bill’s fate now lies in the hands of the upper congressional chamber, the Senate, where it is anticipated to gain approval swiftly. Once signed into law, this legislation will prevent any disruption of federal services.

Originally, the looming government shutdown was slated to commence at 00:01 ET (04:01 GMT) on Sunday, posing the possibility of furloughing tens of thousands of federal employees without pay and suspending numerous government services.

However, in a dramatic twist on Saturday afternoon, House Republicans mobilized to pass a temporary funding measure that extends government operations for an additional 45 days while making no significant concessions regarding spending levels.

This measure garnered greater support from Democrats than from Republicans, with as many as 90 Republicans voting against it.

This move served as a setback for a small faction of right-wing Republicans who had staunchly resisted negotiations in the chamber, insisting on spending cuts as non-negotiable terms.

Nonetheless, despite these challenges, most lawmakers expressed a clear desire to avoid a government shutdown. One of the faction’s key demands, which opposed further US funding for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion, is reflected in the bill.

Government shutdowns occur when both chambers of Congress fail to reach an agreement on approximately 30% of federal spending that must be approved before the commencement of each fiscal year on October 1st.

In the context of the closely divided Congress, with Republicans holding a slim majority in the House and Democrats retaining control of the Senate by a single seat, securing bipartisan support for any funding measure has been a formidable task.

In recent weeks, repeated efforts to pass spending bills in the House have been thwarted by rebellious right-wing members. This group opposed short-term spending solutions and instead advocated for substantial cuts through the passage of long-term spending bills with specific agency-related savings, despite the limited prospects of such bills advancing through the Senate.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy had been reluctant to rely on Democratic votes to pass the House’s bill until the last minute, as this would have risked alienating conservative members within his party. Nevertheless, in order to prevent a shutdown, Democrats were compelled to relinquish their hopes of providing additional military assistance to Ukraine.

Both Democrats and Republicans who support increased funding for Ukraine will persist in their efforts to secure additional funding. However, officials from President Joe Biden’s administration have cautioned that, in the short term, this could result in disruptions to Ukraine’s war effort. While both Democrats and Republicans who support increased Ukraine funding plan to persist in their efforts, officials from President Joe Biden’s administration have warned of potential disruptions to Ukraine’s war effort in the short term.

In the hours leading up to the vote, chaos engulfed Capitol Hill as members of both parties sought clarity on how to best prevent a shutdown. House Democrats expressed frustration, claiming they did not have sufficient time to review Republicans’ latest offer before voting. During this period of turmoil, one member, Jamaal Bowman of New York, appeared to trigger a fire alarm in a building, a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment in Washington.

A spokesperson from Mr. Bowman’s office clarified that he “did not realize he would trigger a building alarm as he was rushing to make an urgent vote” and expressed the Congressman’s regret for any confusion.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy condemned the incident as “a new low” for the House while taking credit for the successful vote.

Also Read: US Government Hours From Shutdown, Funding Chaos

His counterpart, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, argued that his party had come to Republicans’ rescue following “a complete and total surrender to right-wing extremists who throughout the year have tried to hijack the Congress.”

Legislators in the Senate are expected to promptly address the bill and seek its approval within hours on Saturday, expediting its journey to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

While the government remains open, albeit temporarily, this episode is likely to recur in 45 days, as fundamental disputes over government spending levels and policies persist among Republicans and Democrats, as well as within the Republican ranks themselves.