WASHINGTON—Both chambers of Congress on Dec. 21 passed a last-minute funding package that would extend government funding to March 14, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk.
The legislation, dubbed the American Relief Act, passed the Senate in a late-night 85-11 vote that wrapped up not long after the midnight shutdown deadline on Saturday. The House of Representatives passed the same bill in a 366–34 vote earlier in the afternoon on Dec. 20.
The passage of the legislation by both chambers of Congress caps off a week of uncertainty as lawmakers sought to reorganize following the collapse of a previous funding agreement due to opposition from President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has spoken with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) about the status of the spending negotiations.
“I can confirm just moments ago, the president was able to connect with Leader Schumer and Leader Jeffries,” Jean-Pierre said at an afternoon press briefing on Dec. 20.
WASHINGTON—The House on Dec. 19 voted down a pared-down, Trump-backed plan to fund the government with just more than 24 hours until a government shutdown begins.
In a 235–174 vote, lawmakers rejected the proposal. The group voting against the bill included all but two Democrats and a slate of conservative Republicans. The bill, which advanced to the floor via a method known as suspension, needed a two-thirds majority to pass.
In addition to extending the deadline for government funding through March 14, the 116-page proposal included about $30.1 billion for emergency hurricane relief, a one-year extension of the farm bill, and a suspension of the debt ceiling until Jan. 30, 2027—aligning with a demand made by President-elect Donald Trump.
Unless Congress funds the government past Dec. 20, there will be a shutdown. Such an occurrence could have major ramifications, though it may not be all doom and gloom.
The possibility of a shutdown comes after President-elect Donald Trump chimed in on a bipartisan bill to fund the government through March 14 that included other legislation such as a one-year extension of the farm bill, disaster relief, and transferring control of RFK Memorial Stadium from the federal government to the District of Columbia.