House Passes Short-Term Government Funding Bill Seeking To Avoid Shutdown

The House of Representatives voted to pass a 45-day short-term spending bill Saturday, potentially staving off a government shutdown.

The “Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act” was passed by a 335-91 vote. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced Saturday morning the resolution would be voted on suspension, which requires a two-thirds vote to pass, according to CNN.

Ninety Republicans voted no, along with one Democrat.

The bill includes disaster relief requested by the White House, McCarthy said Saturday, but not aid for Ukraine. Democrats expressed skepticism ahead of the vote and called a motion to adjourn, which failed, in order to have time to read the 71-page bill. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries then used his unlimited speaking time to stall the vote.

“We are evaluating the four corners of the bill to see if it does what is necessary,” Jeffries said on the House floor. Some Democrats objected to the resolution’s lack of funds for Ukraine and the absence of a provision blocking a pay raise for Congress members that was included in the Senate’s bill.

Earlier Saturday, McCarthy responded to a question about whether he is concerned about being removed over the bill. “You know what, if somebody wants to remove because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try,” McCarthy said. “But I think this country is too important.”

“If I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, I will do that,” he said.

The House failed Friday to pass the Spending Reduction and Border Security Act, which would fund the government until Oct. 31, as well as cut public spending by 8.1285%. It included a number of provisions relating to immigration law enforcement and border security.