Biden Averts Government Shutdown with Spending Bill Signing
- President Biden signed a short-term government funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. The bill funds congressional priorities such as military construction, veterans affairs, transportation, housing, and the Energy Department until January 19, while other agencies will be funded until February 2. This leaves a larger spending clash for Congress to address early in the next year.
- The bill was approved by the Senate with a vote of 87 to 11 and by the House with near-unanimous support from Democrats and opposition from nearly half of House Republicans. The spending plan does not include additional aid for Israel or Ukraine.
- The bill funds federal agencies at current levels without any policy conditions, in line with what Democrats insisted upon after far-right Republicans sought deep cuts for climate change priorities and other issues. However, Speaker Mike Johnson, who designed the package, stated he would not support any more stopgap funding plans, setting the stage for a “fight” in the Senate in 2024.
President Biden Enacts Short-Term Spending Bill To Avoid US Government Shutdown
President Biden signed into law a short-term government funding bill last Thursday, successfully preventing a government shutdown. However, this move sets up a major spending disagreement for Congress in the new year.
The Senate gave final approval to the spending package late Wednesday, approximately 48 hours before the shutdown deadline. The two-step bill funds key areas such as military construction, veterans affairs, transportation, housing, and the Energy Department until Jan. 19. Other federal agencies get funding until Feb. 2.
The Senate approved the bill with a vote of 87 to 11, including 10 opposing Republicans and one Democrat, Michael Bennet of Colorado. The bill was green-lit by the House on Tuesday, with strong Democrat support and opposition from nearly half the House Republicans.
The approved funding bill neither includes additional aid for Israel or Ukraine. On the day of the signing, President Biden was in San Francisco attending an Asian-Pacific economy summit.
Bill Protects Existing Federal Spending Levels and Shields Climate Change Priorities
The enacted bill maintains present funding levels for federal agencies, devoid of policy conditions. Democrats had pushed for such a bill, especially as far-right Republicans aimed for heavy cuts to President Biden’s climate change initiatives and other issues like blocking funds for the president’s executive order on federal workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“There will be no government shutdown,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, at a press conference post the bill’s approval. “Due to bipartisan cooperation, we are keeping the government open without any harmful amendments or cuts to critical programs, a great outcome for the American people.”
Speaker Mike Johnson, the architect of the spending package, expressed he won’t support any further temporary funding plans, framing this temporary spending measure as a precursor to a Senate “fight” in 2024.
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