House Races Against Time to Pass Bill and Avert Government Shutdown; Senate Up Next

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a stopgap spending bill late Friday night, aimed at preventing a government shutdown. The approval followed a tumultuous 48-hour period, hinting at the potential political landscape of President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming term.

The newly approved short-term spending package allows Congress until mid-March to finalize long-term funding measures while allocating approximately $100 billion for natural disaster assistance. The bill passed with a significant majority, 366-34, before moving to the Senate. There, it will require consensus from all 100 lawmakers to beat the impending midnight funding deadline.

Notably, the legislation does not address the debt ceiling, a point of contention raised by Trump. This issue will arise again next year when Republicans take control of the House, Senate, and the White House.

This 118-page bill extends programs included in the five-year farm bill through September, granting lawmakers additional time to negotiate a comprehensive agreement—despite the significance of delays thus far. Additionally, Congress will move forward with the first cost-of-living salary increase for members since January 2009, raising their pay from $174,000 to $180,600.

The proposal did not contain earlier considerations for the nationwide sale of E15 blended gasoline, which would have benefited corn producers and the biofuels industry. The White House has expressed support for the bill, citing its importance for disaster relief and continued government operations.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized the administration’s backing, highlighting the necessity of maintaining essential services like Social Security and veteran benefits. She pointed out the challenges facing communities recovering from recent storms.

House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole urged representatives to support the bill, stressing the need to avert a government shutdown and emphasizing the potential harm to national defense and constituents if negotiations failed. Conversely, Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro criticized the bill’s retreat from a previously agreed-upon bipartisan approach, questioning the leadership of Congress amid these negotiations.

The recent agreement between Democrats and Republicans to fund the government and extend various programs faced interruption from Trump, who sought suspensions to the debt limit. House Republicans attempted a singular GOP-only bill earlier but encountered defeat. Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence in the Republican party’s unity and commitment to avoid a government shutdown.

Had an agreement not been reached, a lack of funding by Friday’s deadline could have triggered a partial government shutdown just before the holidays. Essential services would have remained operational, but many federal workers, including military personnel, would face delayed paychecks. As the situation unfolded, Trump made public appeals to suspend the debt limit in any new agreements while directing the responsibility to the Biden administration.