WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday signed the stopgap funding invoice handed by the Senate Wednesday evening, punting the GOP’s spending battle and the specter of a authorities shutdown till after the vacations.
Wednesday’s bipartisan vote was 87-11, with 10 Republicans and one Democrat — Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado — voting in opposition to the invoice.
“Due to bipartisan cooperation, we’re holding the federal government open with none poison drugs or dangerous cuts to very important applications — an amazing end result for the American individuals,” Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., mentioned earlier than the vote.
The short-term invoice, generally known as a unbroken decision, or CR, cleared the Home on Tuesday on a lopsided 336-95 vote, with all however two of the no votes coming from Republicans.
“If the speaker is keen to work with Democrats and resist the siren track of the exhausting proper within the Home,” Schumer continued, “then we are able to keep away from shutdowns sooner or later and end the work of funding the federal government.”
With out the CR, authorities funding would have run out late Friday. New Home Speaker Mike Johnson’s staggered, or “laddered,” CR would fund a part of the federal government — together with the Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and City Growth and Veterans Affairs departments — via Jan. 19 and fund the Protection Division and remaining components of the federal government via Feb. 2.
Passing a two-part CR that funds the federal government into the New Yr will stop Congress from adopting yet one more large omnibus spending package deal proper earlier than Christmas, argued Johnson, R-La.
The CR is “clear,” with no spending cuts or contentious coverage provisions that might alienate Democrats. It additionally doesn’t embrace a supplemental package deal masking issues like help for Israel and Ukraine, humanitarian help or border safety, leaving these points for later within the yr.
The CR is designed to purchase extra time for Home Republicans to cross appropriations payments and for Home and Senate negotiators to achieve a deal on funding. The Home has handed seven of the 12 annual appropriations payments that fund the federal government for a full fiscal yr, whereas the Senate has handed three.
However as just lately as Wednesday, Home Republicans had been struggling to advance their particular person appropriations payments over intraparty divisions over amendments, elevating questions on whether or not the Home will be capable to full its spending payments earlier than the following funding deadlines.
Johnson and his management workforce despatched Home lawmakers dwelling for the Thanksgiving vacation early on Wednesday after two appropriations payments bumped into bother.
“We’re demanding of our management: Put the suitable payments on the ground with the suitable coverage in them on the proper ranges, after which we’ll vote for them,” mentioned Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the chairman of the far-right Freedom Caucus, who led the opposition. “However do not act such as you’re really attempting to get to an accurate spending stage, and do not act such as you’re really going to battle on these points if you plan to fail.”
Nonetheless, Johnson dismissed questions on whether or not he is annoyed by the setbacks.
“No, we’re not annoyed. That is a part of the method. We’re working towards consensus,” Johnson mentioned after votes had been referred to as off. “I have been on the job lower than three weeks. I feel we have had an amazing run.”
Requested whether or not Home Democrats’ morale was excessive amid the GOP infighting, Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., recounted that his weekly report back to the Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday was quick and candy.
“No spending cuts, no right-wing excessive coverage adjustments, no authorities shutdown, no votes tomorrow, Blissful Thanksgiving,” he mentioned. “That may be a sort of report that, when you’ll be able to give it, means morale may be very excessive.”
Did Jeffries have any recommendation for the brand new speaker? a reporter adopted up.
“Good luck!” he quipped.
