Congress averts a shutdown that would have kicked in midnight Friday, casting a shadow over the Thanksgiving holiday and beyond. Image: LO Kin-hei/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe House has passed and now the Senate have passed (by a vote of 87-4) a measure that would avert a potential partial government shutdown with agency funding authority otherwise set to expire at midnight Friday (November 17).
The bill would extend until January 19 spending authority for agencies funded under the spending bills covering Agriculture, Energy, HUD, Transportation, VA and related agencies, while an extension until February 2 would apply to all other departments and agencies.
As with the bill that passed just ahead of the prior deadline of September 30, the measure generally continues funding at fiscal 2023 levels, the common practice to buy more time when Congress has not enacted regular spending bills for a new fiscal year.
Also as with that measure, House Republican leaders had to rely on votes of Democrats to assure passage in the face of opposition from a cadre of the farthest-right GOP House members pushing for conservative policy positions and deep cuts.
After dropping such provisions from an earlier version, leaders brought the bill to a quick vote under a shortcut procedure that does not allow for amendments but that requires a two-thirds vote for approval. The vote was 336-95 with 93 Republicans and two Democrats voting against it.
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See also,
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