The Republican-controlled United States House of Representatives haspassed a funding bill that would avert amidnight government shutdown, defying President-elect Donal Trump’s demands for a debt limit increase into the new year.
A vote on the legislation in the Democratic-controlled Senate was scheduled for shortly after midnight (0500 UTC/GMT), and the bill is expected to pass. Post-midnight approval would mean an official lapse in funding of federal US agencies and employees but not a full shutdown of the government.
With an overwhelming 366-34 vote, the House on Friday night approved the last-minute plan from House Speaker Mike Johnson that would keep federal operations and disaster aid temporarily funded.
Johnson had said Congress would “meet our obligations” and not allow federal operations to cease ahead of the winter holidays.
However, there was uncertainty about the outcome after President-elect Donald Trump pushed his demand for the inclusion of a rise in the debt ceiling in the deal. If not, he posted early Friday, let the closures “start now.”
The White House has said President Joe Biden intends to sign the bill into law should the Senate pass it.
The legislation would extend government funding till March 14 and provide $100 billion for disaster-hit states and $10 billion for farmers.
Johnson said on Friday that Republicans would have more power to influence government spending next year, when they will have majorities in both chambers of Congress and Trump will hold the presidency.
“This was a necessary step to bridge the gap, to put us into that moment where we can put our fingerprints on the final decisions on spending,” he said after the vote.
The House Speaker added that Trump supported the package.
dvv/sms (AP, Reuters)
