Congress averts shutdown just before deadline
Ahead of the upcoming budget shutdown, the US House of Representatives voted on an interim budget. The Senate also approved it. Now it’s not just Biden’s signature.
Top Republican Kevin McCarthy tells media representatives about his latest effort to avert a so-called shutdown at the last minute. (September 30, 2023)
Photograph: J. Scott Applewhite (Keystone)
The US Congress probably avoided the fear of shutting down government business just before the deadline. The Senate approved an interim budget on Saturday evening (local time), averting a so-called shutdown. Now President Joe Biden has to sign the legislation — and that’s considered possible. No aid in 45-day bridge budget for Russia-attacked Ukraine So Biden’s Democrats grudgingly backed the bill to prevent a shutdown. The budget controversy has exposed deep divisions among Republicans.
The budget, which was approved by the US Congress at the end of last year, expires at the end of this month. By then, a new federal budget had to be decided to prevent bankruptcy. The political battle repeats itself every year — Congress usually passes a midterm budget, then debates again in a few months about funding government operations for the coming year. Same in this case.
The budget, approved by the US Congress late last year, expires on Sunday night. By then, a new central budget or an interim budget should be decided to avoid bankruptcy. The shutdown means millions of civil servants will no longer be paid. More recently, deeply divided Republicans in the House of Representatives have been tearing each other apart over a dispute over a new budget.
Will the government stand still or press for aid to Ukraine?
McCarthy, a Republican, put pressure on Democrats by making a surprise announcement of funding for the transition on Saturday morning (local time). They faced the question: Should the government stand still or insist on helping Ukraine? McCarthy was in his caucus Run by terrorists.
More aid to Ukraine has been a priority for the White House. Democrats now face the question of whether they will accept a government shutdown over a dispute over support for Kiev. Currently approved aid to Ukraine will run out soon. The Pentagon is reported to have warned that there is not much money for military aid. In the end, most Democrats voted for a bridge budget to avoid a shutdown. President Biden is expected to sign the budget — because it includes the disaster aid he requested.
The interim budget does not contain any drastic spending cuts. That would put Republican McCarthy in even more trouble. Because hard-line MPs in his group had demanded exactly that – and in the past few days had pushed and exposed McCarthy. Republicans hold only a narrow majority in the House chamber, giving radical Republicans some power in the caucus. Some of them have recently more or less openly threatened to oust McCarthy from office. As parts of his party refused to support him, the Republican only came into office at the beginning of the year after 15 rounds of voting.
SDA/AFP/aru
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