President Biden signed a funding bill late Thursday to avert a shutdown and keep the government open into early 2024.
While attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco, the president signed the legislation. Without Biden’s signature, the government would have closed on Friday at the conclusion of the working day.
“Last night I signed a bill preventing a government shutdown. It’s an important step but we have more to do. I urge Congress to address our national security and domestic needs — and House Republicans to stop wasting time on extreme bills and honor our bipartisan budget agreement,” Biden wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The House passed a stopgap bill to prevent a government shutdown in a 336-95 vote on Tuesday. Two Democrats—Reps. Jake Auchincloss (Mass.) and Mike Quigley (Ill.)—and 93 Republicans opposed the bill.
The Senate passed the measure a day later in a bipartisan vote of 87-11, with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) the lone Democrat voting in opposition.
The bifurcated bill would extend funding at current levels for some agencies and programmes until Jan. 19 and all others through Feb. 2. It marked the first legislative hurdle Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) cleared since winning the gavel, even as he relied largely on Democratic votes to do so.
Up until January 19, the measure provides funding for energy and water programmes, military construction, and the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development.
Until February 2, it provides funding for all other programmes, including the Department of Defence and other non-defense social programmes.
However, because the package excluded funding for both Israel and Ukraine, it does not include the Biden White House’s top national security expenditure priority.
Late in October, the White House asked for around $106 billion in additional spending. This money was to be used for Israel’s conflict with Hamas, Ukraine’s war against Russia, Middle Eastern humanitarian relief, and enhanced border security.
Initially, House Republicans offered a bill that tied IRS spending cutbacks to financing for Israel alone. The White House declared that the bill would have been vetoed.
