In a move to avoid a partial government shutdown, the US Senate has approved legislation to fund the government through early March. The temporary funding measure will now be passed through the Republican-led House of Representatives before being signed into law by President Joe Biden.
The urgency to pass the funding measure has been driven by a weekend snowstorm approaching Washington. Despite some Republican opposition, the House is expected to follow suit quickly.
The approval of the $1.66tn funding extension comes after Democrats and Republicans have been at odds in recent budget negotiations. Hard-right conservatives have been demanding significant spending cuts and prioritization of their policies in exchange for their support. In November, Congress passed a two-part short-term funding measure. While some key funding was set to run through January 19, the rest of the government operations would have funding until February 2.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson proposed the current funding extension in an attempt to keep funding levels unchanged and satisfy his hard-line supporters. This proposal was a compromise to address concerns about a bloated spending bill.
However, time has now run out as key federal funding for various sectors, such as agriculture, energy and water, military construction, veterans’ affairs, transportation, and housing programs, is set to expire at midnight on Friday.
The Democrat-led Senate has cleared the way to quickly advance a funding measure to extend these expiring funds into early March. The challenge now lies in getting the bill through the House, which may require suspending regular rules and seeking a two-thirds majority vote. While Republicans have a slim majority in the House, recent retirements and medical issues among members mean they can afford to lose only a few votes if they stick to party lines.
This puts Speaker Mike Johnson in a challenging position, relying on significant support from his colleagues across the aisle. It is expected that more Democrats than Republicans will back the funding extension, maintaining federal funding levels at previously agreed levels.
The discussion of ousting the current Republican leader due to supporting the funding extension with more Democrats has been relatively muted, partly due to inclement weather that has limited the time window to avert a shutdown that Republicans could be blamed for. The House has already cancelled votes for Friday due to an impending winter storm.
The approval of the funding measure is a positive development and shows both sides working together and governing responsibly to avoid chaos, spectacle, and a shutdown that could have adverse consequences for the country. Now, the bill awaits passage in the House and eventual signing by President Biden to ensure the continuation of essential government operations.
