Congress approves temporary bill to prevent government shutdown.
Congress Passes Stopgap Funding Bill to Avoid Government Shutdown
Congress successfully passed a stopgap funding bill late on Saturday, with overwhelming support from Democrats. This came after Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy backed down from his party’s hardliners, who were demanding a partisan bill.
The Democratic-majority Senate voted 88-9 in favor of the measure, aiming to prevent the federal government from experiencing its fourth partial shutdown in a decade. The bill now awaits President Joe Biden’s signature before the 12:01 a.m. ET deadline.
McCarthy’s decision to abandon the hardliners’ insistence on a bill passing with only Republican votes was a significant shift. This change could potentially lead to one of his far-right members attempting to remove him from his leadership role.
The House voted 335-91 to fund the government through Nov. 17, with more Democrats than Republicans supporting the bill. This marked a notable departure from earlier in the week when a government shutdown seemed inevitable.
A government shutdown would have dire consequences, including the non-payment of salaries for the government’s four million employees, regardless of whether they were working or not. Additionally, it would disrupt various federal services, such as National Parks and financial regulators.
“The American people can breathe a sigh of relief: there will be no government shutdown tonight,”
said Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer after the vote. “Democrats have said from the start that the only solution for avoiding a shutdown is bipartisanship, and we are glad Speaker McCarthy has finally heeded our message.”
The bill received support from 209 Democrats, far surpassing the 126 Republicans who voted in favor. Democrats celebrated the outcome as a victory.
“Extreme MAGA Republicans have lost, the American people have won,”
declared top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, referring to the “Make America Great Again” slogan used by former President Donald Trump and many hardline Republicans.
Democratic Representative Don Beyer expressed relief that Speaker McCarthy yielded and allowed a bipartisan vote at the eleventh hour to prevent a disastrous shutdown.
McCarthy’s change of stance gained the support of top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, who had previously backed a similar measure with broad bipartisan support in the Senate. However, the House version excluded aid for Ukraine.
Democratic Senator Michael Bennett delayed the bill for several hours while negotiating for additional aid to Ukraine. Despite this setback, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen emphasized the importance of keeping the government open to better assist Ukraine.
McCarthy dismissed concerns about potential ousting from his leadership position by hardline Republicans, stating, “I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try. And you know what? If I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, I will do that.”
He also confirmed that House Republicans would continue their plans to pass more funding bills, focusing on spending cuts and conservative priorities like tighter border controls.
This standoff occurs just months after Congress brought the federal government to the brink of defaulting on its $31.4 trillion debt. The situation has raised concerns on Wall Street, with Moody’s ratings agency warning of potential damage to U.S. creditworthiness.
Typically, Congress passes stopgap spending bills to provide more time for negotiating detailed legislation that determines funding for federal programs.
This year, a group of Republicans in the House has obstructed action, pressing for stricter immigration policies and deeper spending cuts beyond the levels agreed upon during the debt-ceiling standoff in the spring.
The McCarthy-Biden deal that prevented default set a limit of $1.59 trillion in discretionary spending for fiscal 2024. However, House Republicans are demanding an additional $120 billion in cuts.
The funding fight primarily revolves around a relatively small portion of the $6.4 trillion U.S. budget for this fiscal year. Lawmakers are not considering reductions to popular benefit programs like Social Security and Medicare.
“We should never have been in this position in the first place. Just a few months ago, Speaker McCarthy and I reached a budget agreement to avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis,”
said President Biden in a statement following the vote. “House Republicans tried to walk away from that deal by demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating for millions of Americans. They failed.”
(Reporting by David Morgan, Makini Brice, and Moira Warburton; additional reporting by Kanishka Singh, writing by Andy Sullivan; editing by Scott Malone, Andrea Ricci, and William Mallard)
How does Speaker McCarthy’s willingness to prioritize the needs of the American people over the demands of hardline Republicans reflect effective leadership
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As the deadline approached, President Biden was expected to sign the stopgap funding bill, ensuring that the government will continue to operate and prevent any potential shutdown. Democrats have emphasized the importance of bipartisanship in averting such crises and have expressed relief that Speaker McCarthy ultimately chose to prioritize the needs of the American people over the demands of hardline Republicans.
This bill’s passage marks a significant shift in the dynamics within the Republican party, as McCarthy’s decision to defy the hardliners may lead to potential consequences for his leadership role. On the Democratic side, the overwhelming support for the bill demonstrates their commitment to avoiding a government shutdown and protecting the interests of the American people.
The potential consequences of a government shutdown cannot be understated. Not only would it result in the non-payment of salaries for millions of government employees, but it would also disrupt vital federal services that the public relies on. National Parks, financial regulators, and various other agencies would experience significant disruptions, causing inconvenience and potential harm to the American people.
Senate Majority Leader Schumer, in his statement after the vote, reiterated the importance of bipartisanship in preventing a shutdown. He commended Speaker McCarthy for finally recognizing the need for cooperation and compromise, and acknowledged that Democrats have consistently advocated for a bipartisan approach to governance.
The outcome of the vote reflects the shifting dynamics within the Republican party. Former President Donald Trump’s influence on the party, as represented by the “Make America Great Again” slogan, has been challenged by more moderate Democrats who view extreme MAGA Republicans as obstructionist. The passage of this bill is seen by many Democrats as a victory over the hardline Republicans who were pushing for a partisan funding bill.
Although the bill faced some delays and challenges, such as the negotiation for additional aid to Ukraine, overall, the bipartisan nature of the vote and the willingness of politicians to put aside their differences for the sake of the American public is commendable. Speaker McCarthy’s willingness to risk his position for the well-being of the nation reflects a recognition that leadership means prioritizing the needs of the people over party politics.
With the stopgap funding bill now awaiting President Biden’s signature, it is expected that the government will continue to operate without interruption. The American people can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their government will not face a shutdown, and essential services will continue to function. The passage of this bill not only represents a victory for bipartisanship but also a commitment to effective governance and prioritizing the interests of the American people.
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