US President Joe Biden signed legislation late on Thursday evening to keep the government funded until December 3. He passed the bill just hours before funding was set to collapse, averting a shutdown.
Earlier on Thursday afternoon, the US Senate had approved a stopgap funding bill to keep the government open past midnight, when existing federal funds would expire. The House approved the short-term funding measure by a 254-175 vote shortly afterward.
The vote passed with opposition Republicans supporting the Democrats in a rare show of cross-party unity.
“There’s so much more to do,” Biden said in a statement after signing the bill. “But the passage of this bill reminds us that bipartisan work is possible and it gives us time to pass longer-term funding to keep our government running and delivering for the American people.”
Show of rare bipartisanship
“This is a good outcome, one I’m happy we are getting done,” French news agency AFP quoted Chuck Schumer, the top Democratic senator, as saying ahead of the vote.
“With so many things to take care of here in Washington, the last thing the American people need is for the government to grind to a halt,” he added.
The rare example of bipartisan cooperation comes with Democratic leaders trying to work out a deal within their ranks over Biden’s faltering $3.5 trillion (€3 trillion) social spending package, which has no Republican support, as well as a $1 trillion infrastructure bill to revamp the country’s roads and bridges.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was meeting privately with factions of Democratic lawmakers throughout the day, determined to push ahead and strike a deal over the $3.5 trillion package.
However, the progressive wing of the Democratic party have said they will not agree to the infrastructure package until centrist Democrats commit to the broader social spending package.
rm/jsi (AP, Reuters, AFP)
US: Joe Biden signs bill after Senate votes to avert government shutdown
Source: Pinoy Pop News
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