House passes bill to avoid government shutdown, Senate to vote next

WASHINGTON – The House approved a bill Tuesday that would end the government shutdown, sending the measure to the Senate, where it is expected to pass.

The “ladder” continuing resolution, or CR, will fund parts of the government until January 19th and others until February 2nd. Once it has been approved by the Senate, the bill will go to President Joe Biden, who has indicated that he is open to signing it.

Without a funding bill in place approved by both chambers and signed by the president, the government will shut down at 11:59 pm ET on Friday.

The CR passed in the House with broad bipartisan support, which it needed, after Republican leaders brought a decision to the floor under a procedural motion that required a two-thirds majority, and not simple majority, to pass.

The final tally was 336 for 95 against, with 127 Republicans joining 209 Democrats to approve the bill.

For newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., the bipartisan vote sends an early signal to the Senate and the White House that he is willing to reach across the aisle to pass pragmatic legislation. over when needed.

Under the two-phase funding termination plan, some federal programs such as the Food and Drug Administration, military construction, veterans benefits, transportation, housing, urban development, agriculture, energy and water programs would be funded through January 19. .2 would be the cut-off date.

Johnson said his new plan would give the House the time it needs to move full-year agency funding bills through the regular appropriations process.

Despite initial doubts, the Democrats publicly he supported the bill Tuesday in an effort to stave off a shutdown.

House Democrats “have repeatedly said that any continuing resolution must be set at the fiscal year 2023 spending level, be without harmful cuts and be free of extreme right-wing policy spin-offs,” House Minority Leader said of House Hakeem Jeffries, DNY, in a statement.statement of support.

The Conservative House Freedom Caucus released Tuesday a report against the resolution “because there are no spending cuts, no border security, and not one meaningful win for the American people.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said if the bill were to pass the House, he and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., would quickly move it through the – Senate.

“The Leader of the Senate [Mitch] McConnell and I will figure out the best way to do this quickly,” Schumer said.