In a critical move to avoid a government shutdown just hours before the expiration of current funding, the US House of Representatives on Saturday approved a temporary funding bill. The measure, securing a vote of 335-91, proposes a 45-day extension of government funding if passed by the Democratic-majority Senate and signed into law by President Joe Biden before the impending deadline.
This development marks a significant departure from earlier in the week when a government shutdown appeared imminent. The House’s bipartisan support for the 11th-hour Republican measure underscores the urgency to keep federal funding intact, albeit with a temporary halt to Washington’s substantial aid to Ukraine.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy introduced the stopgap measure with limited time remaining before the midnight shutdown deadline, which would have led to the furlough of millions of federal employees and military personnel or required them to work without pay.
The crisis was largely instigated by a faction of hardline Republicans, defying their own party leadership and rejecting various temporary funding proposals while advocating for substantial spending cuts. The proposed plan aims to maintain current government funding levels without the contentious spending cuts advocated by hardline Republicans but does not include funding for Ukraine.
The change in McCarthy’s approach, abandoning the insistence on a bill passing with only Republican votes, signals a potential rift with far-right members. McCarthy, however, dismissed concerns about potential removal from his leadership role, emphasising his commitment to standing up for the American public.
While the stopgap is a temporary solution, it raises questions about the political feasibility of renewing the multibillion-dollar assistance to Ukraine. President Biden’s administration has consistently supported arming and funding Ukraine in its conflict against the Russian invasion.
The Senate was prepared to vote on its own stopgap bill later on Saturday, and the resolution of the funding crisis will have broader implications for federal operations and international aid commitments.
