Biden signs temporary funding bill to prevent US govt shutdown

The US Congress averted a government shutdown hours before the September 30 midnight deadline, providing funding till December 3 and sending the measure to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature. In a 254-175 vote, the House of Representatives voted on a stopgap bill to keep funding the government at current levels for another nine weeks.

The bill also has provisions to provide relief for states like Louisiana that have borne the brunt of natural disasters as well as aid for Afghan refugees who have resettled in the United States. A few hours earlier, the bill passed the Senate in a bipartisan 65-35 vote, according to US media reports.

At the end of the year, US lawmakers must decide whether to pass another stopgap bill or a series of new appropriations bills for fiscal 2022.

The US Congress averted a government shutdown hours before the September 30 midnight deadline, providing funding till December 3 and sending the measure to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature. In a 254-175 vote, the House of Representatives voted on a stopgap bill to keep funding the government at current levels for another nine weeks.

Democrats and Republicans found a breakthrough on government funding after it was unlinked from a vote on raising the debt ceiling to prevent the country’s first default.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)