The White House has announced that President Biden signed an interim funding bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding through March and averting a shutdown.
The bill provides more than $100 billion in disaster aid for those affected by storms Helene and Milton in the southeastern United States earlier this year. Also in the bill was a provision of $10 billion for economic assistance to farmers.
The Senate worked into the early hours of Saturday to pass the bill 85-11, just past the deadline following a chaotic week at the Capitol.
SENATE APPROVES BILL TO STOP SHUTDOWN AND SENDS IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S DESK
The White House has announced that President Biden signed an interim funding bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding through March and averting a shutdown. (AP)
President Biden has not yet commented publicly on the passage of the legislation.
“HR 10545, the ‘American Relief Act, 2025,’ providing FY 2025 appropriations to Federal agencies through March 14, 2025, for continuing projects and activities of the Federal Government; provides disaster relief appropriations and economic assistance to farmers; extends the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018; and expands several expiring authorities,” a White House statement read.
President-elect Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) clashed this week over spending legislation. (Getty Images)
WHITE HOUSE PRESSES BID FOR REFUSING TO SPEAK PUBLICLY BEFORE CLOSING
President-elect Trump has not spoken publicly since the bill’s passage, although sources tell Fox that the incoming president is not very happy with the bill because it does not suspend the debt ceiling.
Trump had called on the Republicans act on the debt limit as part of their talks to avoid a government shutdown, a demand that angered dozens of conservative Republican lawmakers given their concerns about the national debt, which has surpassed $36 trillion.
A bulky 1,547-page continuing resolution (CR) was thrown into disarray earlier this week following objections from Elon Musk and President-elect Trump. House members then rejected a simplified version on Thursday before the House overwhelmingly approved Speaker Mike Johnson’s new bill by a vote of 366 to 34 on Friday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warned Friday that a shutdown could have disrupted the incoming administration’s presidential transition process.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer gives a thumbs up as he leaves the Senate Chamber after speaking on the Senate floor on December 20, 2024. ((Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images))
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the passage of the funding legislation early Saturday.
“There will be no government shutdown right before Christmas,” Schumer wrote in X. “We will keep the government open with a bipartisan bill that funds the government, helps Americans affected by hurricanes and natural disasters, helps our farmers and avoid harmful cuts.” .
Julia Johnson and Elizabeth Elkind of Fox News contributed to this report.
