The United States has narrowly avoided a government shutdown after the Senate passed a Republican-led measure to provide funding for the government for the next six months. The stopgap funding bill passed in the Senate with a 54-46 vote, as two Democratic senators joined all but one Republican senator in voting yes. President Donald Trump must sign the bill into law before the Friday midnight deadline.
The crucial vote came earlier when some Senate Democrats, after a heated debate, allowed the measure to progress past a procedural hurdle. The minority leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, and nine others defied their colleagues by voting in favor of advancing the bill to its final vote on Friday evening.
During the final vote, two Democrats– Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Independent Senator Angus King of Maine–supported the bill’s passage, while Schumer voted against it. On Thursday, Schumer had announced that he would vote to allow the measure to move forward, stating that although he did not endorse the bill, he believed that preventing a shutdown was the better option.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez criticized Schumer’s willingness to support the spending bill, calling it a “huge slap in the face” and claiming it betrayed the party. She argued that the bill sancions the disorder and irresponsible cuts Elon Musk has been promoting and empowers the use of federal funds to finance tax cuts for billionaires.
Democrats were conflicted about supporting the measure, and ultimately proposed an alternative 30-day continuing resolution that was unlikely to garner enough support to pass. Senator Ted Cruz accused the Democrats of engaging in “political theater” and praised the bill’s passage, stating that “the government is funded, let’s get back to work.”
The legislation’s approval is a triumph for Trump and congressional Republicans. On Friday morning, Trump expressed rare bipartisan commendation for Schumer’s decision to let the bill advance, stating that disapproval would have been “country-destroying” and that approval would lead to “new heights.”
The proposed legislation will retain most funding levels from the Biden Administration, with some significant changes. It includes a $6 billion increase in military spending for areas such as border security, veterans healthcare, and overall military expenditures. However, it would cut non-defense funding by approximately $13 billion.
Local officials in Washington DC had concerns that the bill might result in a $1 billion cut in federal funds for the city over the next six months. Nonetheless, the Senate passed a separate bill that maintained the city’s current operating budget intact, as reported by the New York Times.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7vzjrm5lm8o
