Biden signs stopgap funding bill into law after Congress votes to avert shutdown
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President Joe Biden signed a stopgap funding bill into law on Saturday, averting a government shutdown and extending funding until March 2025. The legislation passed following a turbulent week in Congress, marked by former President Donald Trump’s opposition to an initial bipartisan deal. Trump’s objections upended earlier efforts to prevent a shutdown, leading to a tense standoff among lawmakers.
After signing the bill, Biden praised the final agreement as a “compromise,” highlighting that it funds essential priorities and provides relief for disaster-stricken areas and farmers. He called it “good news” just ahead of the holiday season, signaling a reprieve for the nation.
The House passed the stopgap bill late Friday, followed by the Senate’s approval after midnight. The measure ensures continued government funding, disaster relief, and agricultural support. However, the path to this resolution was far from straightforward. Initially, House Republicans were divided over the terms, largely due to Trump’s demands regarding the suspension of the debt ceiling.
Trump’s opposition had a significant impact on the legislation. His call for a debt ceiling suspension caused House Republicans to reject the original bipartisan deal, angering Democrats. Subsequently, House Republicans attempted to advance their own proposal, which included Trump’s debt ceiling demands. This plan, however, faced resistance not only from Democrats but also from a significant portion of Republicans who felt it was a politically motivated move to benefit Trump’s tax policies.
The GOP-backed bill failed, setting the stage for a showdown in the House. The impasse nearly resulted in a government shutdown, but House Speaker Mike Johnson brokered a compromise. He introduced a stopgap measure without the debt ceiling provision, which passed with overwhelming support: 366 votes in favor and just 34 against. All of the votes against the bill came from Republicans, while one Democrat voted “present.” In the Senate, the bill was approved with a strong majority—85 votes in favor and 11 against.
This legislation funds the government through March 14, 2025, and includes around $100 billion for disaster relief, as well as an extension of the farm bill. While the bill was a success for lawmakers, it revealed the difficulties Republicans may face in pushing forward Trump’s agenda, especially with a narrow House majority set to take control in the coming year. The split within the GOP demonstrated how internal divisions could hinder the party’s ability to advance key priorities.
Speaker Johnson, who had been in constant communication with Trump during the negotiations, expressed confidence that the former president was satisfied with the outcome. “I think he certainly is happy about this outcome,” Johnson said, emphasizing the positive result for the country. Johnson also shared his conversations with tech mogul Elon Musk about the challenges of leading the House with such a slim majority. Musk, who had previously opposed the original bipartisan bill, acknowledged Johnson’s skillful navigation of the process, praising him for his handling of the situation.
The funding bill had initially included a provision to reauthorize pediatric cancer research through the National Institutes of Health, the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0. However, this measure was dropped after Trump pushed for a “clean” short-term spending package with no additional items. This decision sparked some controversy, especially among Democrats, who blamed Republicans for eliminating the research funding. House Republicans countered that Senate Democrats had delayed the bill for months, making it difficult to include the provision in the final package.
Despite the ups and downs of the legislative process, the passage of the stopgap funding bill demonstrated the complexities of governing in a divided Congress. While Biden’s signing of the bill marked a short-term victory, the events of the past week provided a glimpse of the challenges ahead for Republicans, especially with a new Congress set to take office in January. As the political landscape shifts, lawmakers will face more difficult negotiations, with the outcome of this funding battle serving as a reminder of the tensions that continue to shape Washington.
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