US House of Representatives passes temporary funding bill
Photo: US House of Representatives passes temporary funding bill (Getty Images)
The United States House of Representatives has passed a short-term government funding bill, allowing the avoidance of a shutdown, informs AP.
The bill was supported by 320 members of the House of Representatives, with 99 congressmen voting against it. The bill will now proceed to a vote in the Senate, after which it will be sent to President Joe Biden for his signature.
It is noted that Congress has been unable to reach an agreement on the budget for the fiscal year 2024 since the end of September. Lawmakers have three times passed temporary funding bills to keep federal agencies operational.
As a reminder, a government shutdown in the United States occurs when Congress fails to approve funding for federal agencies, and the president does not sign such funding into law.
What preceded
On February 27, US President Joe Biden gathered Congressional leaders at the White House. The main topics of the negotiations were to avoid a shutdown and provide assistance to Ukraine.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer reported after the meeting that House spokesperson Mike Johnson ambiguously indicated a desire to avoid a shutdown. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries also noted after the negotiations that there is optimism about avoiding a shutdown.
Yesterday, on February 29, it became known that US Congressional leaders reached an agreement on several bills within the framework of a budget resolution during discussions. This will allow shifting the deadlines for the partial shutdown of several ministries.
