WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden on Friday signed a bill to extend government funding for three weeks to give Congress more time to reach an overdue deal financing federal agencies through the rest of the fiscal year, the White House announced.
The Senate approved the measure Thursday by a 65-27 vote, five more than the 60 votes needed, after the House approved the legislation last week. Each party had concluded that an election-year shutdown would be politically damaging.
Both parties hope the short-term measure will be the last one needed as negotiators craft compromise bills financing agencies through Sept. 30.
The new spending bills will be bipartisan compromises but will let Biden and Democrats controlling Congress put more of a stamp on spending priorities. They also are expected to provide defense increases the GOP wants.
In recent decades Congress has routinely finished its budget work months late. Averting shutdowns prompted by partisan point-scoring has become an accomplishment, not a given.
