The US Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown early Saturday after intense, last-minute negotiations, passing a bill to fund federal agencies through mid-March.
With the midnight deadline already passed, senators fast-tracked the bill to a vote, halting shutdown preparations and preventing furloughs for over 800,000 workers at risk of being sent home without pay.
“It’s good news that the bipartisan approach in the end prevailed… It’s a good outcome for America and the American people,” Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor.
The bill, which was crucially supported by Democrats, cleared the Republican-majority House earlier in the day. Despite some concerns that the funding debate could drag into the following week, lawmakers acted quickly to ensure the government remained open, averting a shutdown that would have affected non-essential operations, furloughed up to 875,000 workers, and left 1.4 million others working without pay.
President-elect Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk played significant roles in the drama, with Trump’s intervention pushing Republicans to renege on a deal previously agreed upon with Democrats. Efforts to find compromise fell short, putting Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson under pressure to prevent a shutdown.
Had the bill failed, key government services, including law enforcement, would have continued, but employees would not have been paid until the shutdown ended. Many national parks and monuments would have closed during the holiday season, when millions of visitors were expected.
Lawmakers passed the funding bill, which includes $110 billion for disaster relief and support for farmers, keeping the government funded until March 14. The bill mirrors one that failed in a vote on Thursday, with the exception of a provision to suspend the country’s borrowing limit, which was pushed by Trump.
Musk’s influence over Republicans, especially his sway with Trump, has become a point of contention, with many Democrats questioning how an unelected individual can exert so much power. Even some Republicans have expressed frustration over Musk’s interference after his barrage of social media posts, many of which were criticized for being inaccurate.
“Last time I checked, Elon Musk doesn’t have a vote in Congress,” said Georgia House Republican Rich McCormick.
Despite these tensions, Trump’s influence was limited, as the funding package passed without his preferred provisions. House Speaker Johnson, however, remained optimistic, noting that the political landscape would shift in January with Trump’s return to office and Republican control of both the House and Senate.
“We will have Republican control of the Senate and the House. Things are going to be very different around here,” Johnson said.
AFP
