19 January 2024
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Congress narrowly avoided a shutdown – for now. Both the House and the Senate passed a bill to keep the government funded through March, but the budget battle is far from over.
The short-term spending bill just buys lawmakers more time, and there’s a lot of disagreement in Congress over the annual budget.
“Avoiding a shutdown is very good news for the country,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “This is an important thing for us because it allows us to fight for our policy changes, our policy riders and those spending bills, and it takes time to do that.”
Lawmakers still need to work out how that money would get divvied up.
But the plan is already facing opposition.
“It does not matter who is sitting in the Speaker’s seat or who’s got the majority. We keep doing the same stupid stuff,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas).
In a divided government it will take support from both Republicans and Democrats to pass a full budget.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says his party is willing to compromise to get it done.
“House Democrats believe in doing the right thing for the American people,” he said.
President Biden is expected to sign the short-term funding bill Friday.