Biden signs fundraising bill to prevent government shutdown

Washington – Both the House and Senate on Thursday approved a short-term government funding bill that keeps federal agencies open until early December and avoids a partial government shutdown, just hours before funding expires.

The interim measure, known as the Continuing Resolution, was passed by the Senate in a bipartisan 65-35 vote, surpassing the 60-vote threshold required for approval. It was then quickly picked up by the House, which cleared the bill with a vote of 254 to 175. Manchin and Sinema meet with Biden over concerns over reconciliation bill signed the bill in the Oval Office shortly thereafter, before the midnight deadline to avoid a disruption in federal funding, two administration officials told CBS News.

“There is so much more to do,” the president said in a statement Thursday evening. “But passing this bill reminds us that bipartisan work is possible and it gives us time to spend longer term funding to keep our government running and serving the American people.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announcement As of Wednesday evening, an agreement was reached on the short-term funding measure after an earlier bill, which included a provision to suspend the debt ceiling until December 2022, was blocked by Republican senators this week.

In addition to keeping federal agencies funded at current levels through December 3, the bill provides $ 6.3 billion in funding for Resettlement of Afghan refugees and $ 28.6 billion for disaster relief following a recent wave of hurricanes and Forest fires.

Ahead of the final vote in the upper house, senators voted on three amendments from Republican senators – cutting aid to some Afghan refugees, banning federal funds for COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and no member pays without a budget – well that all have failed.

Passage of the funding measure by both chambers avoids a budget crisis – a partial government shutdown – but leaves unanswered the need for Congress to increase or suspend the debt ceiling. How Democratic leaders intend to get around a debt crisis without the support of Republicans remains unclear, as GOP leaders have repeatedly warned that they will not support legislation raising the debt limit.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen this week told congressional leaders that the United States will exhaust extraordinary measures allowing the government to pay its bills on October 18. raise the debt ceiling would put the nation at fault for the first time in its history, triggering widespread economic chaos.

Even as the deadline to avoid an interruption in government funding approached as the week progressed, congressional leaders expressed optimism. Congress would pass an interim financing bill.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday that she expected a “big” bipartisan vote on a fundraising bill and did not believe the government would shut down if Congress did not. didn’t act by Thursday night.

Congress last week began considering legislation to prevent a government shutdown, but a House bill extending federal funding until early December and suspending the debt limit encountered a problem after lawmakers Progressives opposed a $ 1 billion arrangement for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.

Democratic leaders were quick to withdraw funding from the short-term continuing resolution, and this continued until empty the house in a party line vote last Wednesday. The lower chamber then approved a stand-alone bill tackling the Iron Dome with overwhelming bipartisan support a day later.

The House plan, however, was dead upon coming to the Senate due to the suspension of the debt ceiling, which Republicans refuse to support.

Senatorial Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly said that it is the responsibility of the ruling party – the Democrats – to tackle the debt limit, and the GOP will not help them do so. do, regardless of serious warnings about the economic consequences of a defect.

Along with McConnell’s inflexible stance on the debt ceiling are Democrats’ efforts to push through a $ 3.5 trillion package that would broaden the social safety net and tackle climate change. Democrats are using a budget tool that allows them to speed up the bill and pass the Senate without GOP support.

–End Gomez of CBS News contributed to this report.