Congress Passes Spending Bill to Prevent Government Shutdown
The U.S. Congress passed a temporary funding measure to avert a government shutdown, extending federal spending at current levels until December 11. The House approved the bill with a significant majority, following earlier Senate approval.
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The U.S. House of Representatives passed a temporary spending measure to fund the federal government until December 11, with a vote of 370 to 48, following Senate approval on August 8. This measure removes the immediate threat of a government shutdown ahead of the midterm elections on November 3, during which control of Congress will be contested, and follows three previous shutdowns totaling 161 days. The U.S. national debt has surpassed $40 trillion, and the stopgap bill delays critical decisions on spending priorities as Congress faces a tighter timeline to finalize full-year spending bills by mid-December.
Congress successfully avoided a government shutdown by passing a continuing resolution that extends federal spending at current levels through December 11, with a House vote of 370-48. This decision follows a pattern of recent long government shutdowns, including a 43-day shutdown that ended in November and a 76-day closure at the Department of Homeland Security that concluded in April. The legislation was passed with bipartisan support, as lawmakers sought to prevent disruption ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, where funding was set to expire on September 30.