Share this @internewscast.com

WASHINGTON — Congress passed a bill on Thursday that would prevent a partial government shutdown this weekend and keep federal funds flowing through March 1 and March 8.

The Democratic-led Senate voted 77-18 on final passage after considering a few amendments. The Republican-led House soon followed suit, passing it by a vote of 314-108.

The bill now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to become law before the funding expires Friday at midnight.

It is the third stopgap bill since last September as the divided Congress struggles to agree on full-year government funding bills. Thursday’s bill passed with mostly Democratic votes, with 107 Republicans voting for it and 106 voting against it.

A recent deal between Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on how much to spend in the new year has renewed hope of completing the process by the new early March deadlines. But that is far from guaranteed as right-wing House Republicans rebel against it.

The first stopgap bill led to the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as speaker. His successor, Johnson, is seeking to avoid the same fate by selling the conservative victories in the latest deal.

Before the Senate vote, Schumer inveighed against “a loud contingent of hard-right rabble-rousers who thinks a shutdown is somehow a good thing.”

“In the twisted logic of the hard right, the theory is if enough people feel the pain of a shutdown, the hard-right can bully the rest of Congress into enacting their deeply unpopular agenda,” Schumer said on the Senate floor Thursday morning. “Bullying, intimidation, chaos. This is MAGA extremism in a nutshell.”

Around the same time, the House announced that it would cancel votes on Friday in anticipation of a winter storm and complete votes on the stopgap bill on Thursday.

The bill would extend the two-part government funding deadlines from Jan. 19 to March 1, and from Feb. 2 to March 8. The funding bill is unrelated to negotiations surrounding an immigration and national security supplemental bill that would provide aid to Ukraine and Israel. It’s designed to give appropriators more time to craft the 12 appropriations bills that fully fund the government using the newly agreed-to spending levels.

“We need just a little bit more time on the calendar to allow that process to play out,” Johnson told reporters, saying he’s “very hopeful” that Congress can pass all 12 measures.

“We’ll see how this develops. Certainly, we’re not going to have an omnibus,” he said, referring to the massive, last-minute spending bills Congress has frequently relied on. “And that was a very important innovation for us to forge forward because it’s no way to run a railroad.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
FBI files reveal new D.B. Cooper suspect — Maine pilot once investigated in skyjacking mystery

FBI Unveils New D.B. Cooper Suspect: Maine Pilot Emerges in Decades-Old Skyjacking Mystery

In the latest twist of the enduring D.B. Cooper mystery, newly unveiled…
Girl, 11, stabs boy, 12, inside NYC middle school: cops, sources

New York City Middle School Incident: 11-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Stabs 12-Year-Old Boy

An unsettling incident unfolded at a Bronx middle school on Monday when…
Texas mass shooter Ndiaga Diagne had Iranian flag and photos of Islamic Republic leaders in his home: report

Unraveling the Mystery: Texas Shooter’s Home Reveals Iranian Connections Through Flags and Photos

The harrowing incident at an Austin, Texas bar, which may have been…
Ukraine knows how to stop Iranian Shahed drones, and is offering its help: Zelensky

Ukraine’s Game-Changing Strategy to Neutralize Iranian Shahed Drones: Insights from President Zelensky

KYIV, Ukraine— As nations grapple with the increasing threat of Iranian drones,…
Destiny Littleton stuck in Israel during US conflict with Iran

Destiny Littleton Caught in Israel Amidst Rising US-Iran Tensions

Destiny Littleton, a former USC Trojans standout, recently embarked on an exciting…
Supreme Court blocks law against schools outing transgender students to their parents in California

Supreme Court Halts California Law Protecting Transgender Students’ Privacy Rights

The Supreme Court has paved the way for California schools to inform…
US appeals court rejects Trump admin's bid to delay tariff refund lawsuits

US Appeals Court Blocks Trump Administration’s Attempt to Stall Tariff Refund Cases: What This Means for Businesses

On Monday, a U.S. appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to…
Vance: Iran Couldn't Get Nuke for Years, But Goal Is to Keep Iran from Ever Getting Nuke

Vance Outlines Long-Term Strategy to Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons

During Monday’s airing of “Jesse Watters Primetime” on Fox News, Vice President…
Gas prices cross $3 gallon for first time since November — and Americans could face more pain at pump

U.S. Gas Prices Surge Above $3 per Gallon, Marking Highest Spike Since November – What This Means for Drivers

U.S. retail gasoline prices have surpassed $3 per gallon for the first…
Asking Eric: Husband thinks mother is perfect; wife thinks she’s a bully

Navigating Family Dynamics: When Your Husband’s ‘Perfect’ Mom Feels Like a Bully

Dear Eric: I’ve been married to my husband for nearly 35 years,…
Drone strike shuts down Saudi oil giant Aramco in Ras Tanura

Critical Drone Attack Paralyzes Saudi Aramco Operations at Ras Tanura: What It Means for Global Oil Supply

On Monday, drones struck one of the globe’s largest oil refineries in…
Donald Trump says he took out Khamenei before 'he got me'

Trump Claims Strategic Preemptive Action Against Iran’s Khamenei: Averted Potential Threat

Former President Donald Trump recently remarked that he acted against Ayatollah Khamenei…