Washington, Jan 18 (EFE).- The United States Congress on Thursday approved a stopgap budget extension, avoiding a partial government shutdown a day before funding was set to expire.
House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (C-R) is seen in a mirror speaking to reporters following a debt commission markup inside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 18 January 2024. EFE/EPA/JIM LO SCALZO
The House of Representatives passed the short-term spending bill in a 314-108 vote, exceeding the two-thirds required. It did so shortly after the Senate approved it 77-18. It will now be sent to President Joe Biden for sign-off.
In the House, the extension faced opposition from half of Republicans (106 votes against to 107 in favor), who criticized that their leadership in that chamber continues to give air to Biden’s government with these extensions.
“It doesn’t matter who is sitting in the speaker’s seat or who has the majority. We keep doing the same stupid stuff,” said Republican Chip Roy.
In November, Congress also approved a budget extension to avoid a shutdown, with two deadlines – Jan. 19 and Feb. 2. The new extension would extend those deadlines to Mar. 1 and Mar. 8.
Earlier this month, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that there was an agreement between Democrats, Republicans and the White House to approve the budget for fiscal year 2024 (which began on Oct. 1, 2023) and avoid new extensions, but he has not had time to process it.
“We need just a little bit more time on the calendar to allow that process to play out,” Johnson, who in November committed not to promote or approve new extensions, said Wednesday.
In addition to the legislative process to be followed, the agreement faces internal opposition from a sector of the evidently divided Republican Party.
A minority sector of the party ejected their previous leader, Kevin McCarthy, in October as a result of a budget agreement with the Democrats.
The approval of the extension did not satisfy the majority of Democrats either, despite the fact that the Senate majority leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, congratulated himself for having managed to get lawmakers from both parties to work late into the night on Wednesday to avoid administrative closure.
«We have good news for America. There will not be a shutdown on Friday,” he assured.
His number two, Dick Durbin, however, expressed discontent.
“It’s disappointing that the best we can do is ’keep the lights on’ when funding the government. We should be addressing issues that are important to the American people, not kicking the can down the road once again,” he said.
Every time a shutdown is less than a week away, the White House activates a protocol to prepare all its departments. A shutdown involves sending hundreds of thousands of public employees home without work or pay and the paralysis of many services. EFE
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