OAN’s Abril Elfi
5:22 PM – Sunday, October 1, 2023
President Joe Biden signed legislation to extend government funding for 45 days in efforts to avert government shutdown.
Advertisement
On Saturday, Biden signed into law a “stopgap package” passed by Congress just hours before a vital midnight deadline when funding for federal agencies was set to expire.
The Senate passed the bill on Saturday evening, a day after the House dramatically changed course and backed a bipartisan bill to extend government funding following days of uncertainty over whether a shutdown could be avoided.
“Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hard working Americans,” Biden said.
Additionally, Biden also slammed House Republicans for the last-minute scramble, saying they “should never have been in this position in the first place.”
The package, which includes natural disaster help, but no more funds for Ukraine or border security, will keep the government functioning just until November 17th. It also includes a provision to keep the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) running smoothly.
GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made the announcement on Saturday morning, following weeks of infighting among House Republicans and a failed attempt to pass a GOP stopgap bill in the chamber.
The bill was approved by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the House.
McCarthy’s decision to bring a bill to the floor that might garner Democrat support could jeopardize his speakership, as conservatives continue to threaten a vote to remove him from the top House leadership position.
McCarthy reportedly doubled down after the vote, daring his critics to try to remove him, and arguing that he did what was required to govern efficiently.
“If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it,” McCarthy asserted. “There has to be an adult in the room. I am going to govern with what’s best for this country.”
However, McCarthy suffered a high-profile defeat on Friday when the House failed to move a last-ditch GOP stopgap package, increasing the pressure on him to determine whether to step across the aisle and work with Democrats to keep the government open, even if it risks a negative GOP reaction.
The Senate had been working on its own bipartisan interim package and was scheduled to vote on it on Saturday afternoon. However, that was put on hold after the House rushed to enact a short-term budget extension, and senators rallied behind the House-passed bill.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
By: OAN
