15-11-2023 (WASHINGTON) The US House of Representatives, in a significant vote, passed a stopgap measure to avoid a partial federal government shutdown. The short-term legislation is now headed to the Senate, where leaders from both Democratic and Republican parties have expressed support. The Senate and the Republican-controlled House need to enact the legislation before the midnight expiry of the current funding for federal agencies on Friday.
The vote, with a tally of 336-95, marks a victory for House Speaker Mike Johnson. Johnson, who assumed the role less than three weeks ago, faces a delicate situation with a slim 221-213 majority, allowing him to lose no more than three Republican votes on legislation opposed by Democrats.
The stopgap spending bill aims to extend government funding at current levels into 2024, providing lawmakers with more time to develop detailed spending bills covering various sectors, including the military and scientific research.
Some Republicans on the right-wing expressed frustration, stating that the bill lacked the substantial spending cuts and border-security measures they desired. Johnson’s bill proposes extending funding for various sectors, including military construction, veterans benefits, transportation, housing, urban development, agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and energy and water programs until Jan 19. Funding for all other federal operations, including defense, would expire on Feb 2.
This marks the third fiscal standoff in Congress this year, following the spring impasse over the US debt, which reached over US$31 trillion, bringing the federal government close to default. The ongoing partisan gridlock prompted Moody’s to downgrade the US credit rating outlook from “stable” to “negative” on Friday, citing the impact of high-interest rates on rising borrowing costs.
