U.S. Congress passes last-minute spending legislation to avoid government shutdown

WASHINGTON: In a late-night push, the U.S. Congress passed crucial spending legislation early on Saturday, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown that could have disrupted the holiday travel season. The Democratic-controlled Senate approved the bill by an 85-11 vote, just 38 minutes after government funding had expired at midnight (0500 GMT). Despite the expiration, no shutdown procedures were invoked during the brief gap.

The bill, which has already cleared the Republican-controlled House of Representatives with bipartisan support, will now head to the White House, where President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law.

The legislation, aimed at continuing government funding, marks the culmination of a hectic week in Congress. Earlier, efforts to reach a bipartisan deal had been derailed by President-elect Donald Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk, causing a temporary breakdown in negotiations. The final version of the bill saw several provisions favoured by Democrats removed, with some accusing Republicans of yielding to pressure from Musk, who is not a government official.

Despite intense political manoeuvring, Congress did not address Trump’s demand to raise the debt ceiling, a significant and politically charged task that will need to be resolved before Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

The spending bill, which would extend government funding through March 14, includes provisions for disaster relief, with $100 billion allocated to states affected by natural disasters and $10 billion earmarked for farmers. Additionally, it extends key farm and food aid programs set to expire at the end of the year.

The federal government’s spending for the previous year amounted to roughly $6.2 trillion, and with over $36 trillion in debt, lawmakers will need to authorise additional borrowing by mid-2024.