US House approves bill hours before government shutdown deadline, Trump’s debt ceiling demand dropped

US House approves bill hours before government shutdown deadline

With a government shutdown deadline looming, the Senate swiftly passed a bipartisan bill early Saturday to temporarily fund federal operations and provide disaster aid, removing President-elect Donald Trump‘s demands for a debt ceiling increase.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had emphasized that Congress would meet its obligations and prevent a shutdown just before the Christmas holidays. However, uncertainty arose after Trump insisted that a debt ceiling increase be included in the deal. In a post early Saturday, Trump warned that without it, the shutdown should proceed.

The House approved the revised bill by a wide margin, 366-34, and the Senate followed suit, passing the bill 85-11 just past the midnight deadline. Following the vote, the White House announced it had halted shutdown preparations.

“This is a good outcome for the country,” Johnson said after the House vote, adding that he had spoken with Trump, who was reportedly satisfied with the result.

President Joe Biden, who had taken a more subdued role during the negotiations, was expected to sign the measure into law on Saturday.

The measure is the third attempt by Speaker Johnson to secure funding and avoid a shutdown. Despite facing pressure from Trump and his allies, Johnson was forced to navigate the GOP’s resistance to increasing the debt ceiling and push forward with a deal that relied on Democratic votes.

The final package, which funds the government at current levels through March 14, includes $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in agricultural assistance for farmers. Trump’s demand to raise the debt ceiling was omitted, with plans to address it as part of future tax and border security discussions.

The bill reflects the ongoing tension within the GOP and the challenges Johnson faces in balancing the party’s conservative factions with the necessity of working across the aisle to keep the government running.

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