Senate Passes Temporary Plan to Avoid Government Shutdown Before Thanksgiving
The Senate made a quick move to approve the plan to extend government funding through early next year, narrowly averting a government shutdown for the second time in recent months. The plan was approved 87-11, just a day after it passed in the House. The deadline for keeping the government open is the end of the day Friday, and officials in both chambers were eager to avoid a debacle.
However, this is only a temporary fix, setting up another showdown early next year. The plan funds part of the government through Jan. 19 and another part through Feb. 2. There is still no agreement on the final funding levels within both chambers due to their significant division. The bills are being written at different levels which suggests there is still more to negotiate.
Following a closed-door lunch meeting with Senate Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., acknowledged that there is much work to be done after Thanksgiving. The White House has indicated that the president will sign the temporary funding extension as it maintains funding levels and does not include additional conservative policies.
Senators from both parties signaled their appreciation of the measure, but there was not a guarantee that it would pass in time. The Senate initially had to wait due to a last-minute holdout from Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. The vote was also postponed because GOP Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul introduced an amendment that did not pass.
As deadlines approach, the path to making the upcoming deadlines for federal transportation programs, housing programs, military, and more is complicated. The path to avoiding a contentious budget fight seems rocky as both chambers have different visions for the budget to be negotiated ahead.
Both the House and Senate have been consumed by infighting and disagreements about funding levels. The challenges are significant and a resolution seems far from clear. The consequences of not reaching an agreement are considered dire, especially in terms of providing aid to Ukraine.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Government shutdown: Senate passes temporary plan ahead of Thanksgiving
