In a last-minute push, the House of Representatives approved a new spending bill late Friday, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown. The bill passed with a wide margin of 366 votes in favor and 34 against. All of the opposition came from Republicans, while most Democrats voted in favor, with one voting “present.”
The bill now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to pass quickly before being sent to President Biden for approval. The measure is largely similar to the one that failed the day before, but without the controversial provision to raise the national debt ceiling. It includes temporary government funding through March 14, $100 billion in disaster relief, and $10 billion in emergency aid for farmers.
Speaker Mike Johnson had insisted earlier in the day, “We will not have a government shutdown,” and he managed to rally enough support to push the bill through the House just hours before the midnight deadline.
The House’s passage of the bill capped a tumultuous week in Congress, as lawmakers faced intense pressure to reach an agreement. Earlier, 38 Republicans had voted against a spending plan backed by President-elect Donald Trump, deepening divisions within the GOP.
Elon Musk, who had voiced concerns about the bill earlier, expressed support after the vote. On social media, he wrote, “This is great,” responding to a breakdown of the bill’s key provisions. His tweet came after he had questioned whether the bill was a “Republican bill or a Democrat bill.”
The spending bill is a stopgap measure to keep the government open through March 14 and to provide critical disaster relief. A large portion of the funds—about $29 billion—will go to FEMA for disaster relief, addressing the aftermath of recent hurricanes. The Small Business Administration (SBA) will receive $2 billion to help businesses and homeowners with disaster recovery loans.
The bill also provides over $20 billion for the Department of Agriculture to assist with disaster relief and includes $10 billion in economic aid for farmers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies involved in disaster recovery will receive additional funding.
While most lawmakers supported the bill, some Democrats criticized it for stripping out important provisions, such as funding for children’s cancer care and measures to lower prescription drug costs. Some Republicans also expressed frustration, particularly with the removal of parts of the original bipartisan plan that had broad support, including healthcare-related provisions.
This final approval came after multiple failed attempts in the House earlier in the week. Speaker Johnson had proposed several different versions of the bill, including one that would have suspended the debt ceiling for two years, but faced opposition from both sides of the aisle. Ultimately, the compromise was a simpler bill focused on disaster relief and funding for farmers.
With the House vote now behind them, attention turns to the Senate, where the bill is expected to pass quickly. If all goes as planned, it will reach President Biden’s desk before the government’s funding runs out. While the immediate risk of a shutdown has been avoided, questions remain about the future of government spending and the broader political challenges Congress will face in the coming months.
