Government shutdown avoided as Biden signs funding bill

package dropped Aid to Ukrainea White House priority that faces growing opposition from Republican lawmakers, but adds $16 billion in federal disaster aid, Meet all of Biden’s demands. The bill funds the government until November 17.

After days of chaotic turmoil in the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy abruptly backed away from right-wing demands for deep spending cuts and instead relied on Democrats to pass the bill, putting his own job at risk. The Senate then gave final passage, capping a whirlwind day at the Capitol.

“This is great news for the American people,” Biden said in a statement.

He also said that the United States “cannot allow U.S. support to Ukraine to be interrupted under any circumstances” and hoped that McCarthy “will keep his commitment to the Ukrainian people and ensure that the support needed to help Ukraine is provided at this critical time.”

Head-spinning events unfolded in Congress ahead of a midnight funding deadline after a rough day in the House pushed the government to the brink of a devastating federal shutdown.

For now, the outcome ends the threat of closure, but the reprieve may be short-lived. Congress will again need to fund the government in the coming weeks, risking a crisis amid increasingly hardline views, especially among right-wing lawmakers, whose demands were ultimately shelved this time in favor of a more bipartisan approach .

“We’re going to do our job,” McCarthy, a California Republican, said before the House vote. “We’re going to be the adults in the room. We’re going to keep the government open.”

If no deal is reached by Sunday Federal workers to face furloughsmore than 2 million active duty and reserve troops will have to work without pay, while the programs and services Americans rely on from coast to coast will Beginning to face disruptions.

“It’s been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people can breathe a sigh of relief: There will be no government shutdown,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

The plan provides the government with current 2023 levels of funding through mid-November and extends other provisions, including those from the Federal Aviation Administration. The package was approved by the House in a vote of 335 to 91, with the support of a majority of Republicans and nearly all Democrats. The Senate approved it by a vote of 88 to 9.

But losing Ukraine aid would be devastating for lawmakers from both parties who have vowed to support the president Vladimir Zelensky following his recent visit to Washington. The Senate bill includes $6 billion for Ukraine, and the two chambers were deadlocked on Saturday as lawmakers assessed their options.

New York House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said “the American people deserve better” and warned in a lengthy speech that “extreme” Republicans were at risk of a government shutdown.

To get the House package approved, McCarthy was forced to rely on Democrats as the speaker’s far-right wing said it would oppose any short-term funding measure, denying him the votes he needed to secure a slim majority. The move is sure to intensify calls for him to step down.

After ditching conservative die-hards, McCarthy will almost certainly face a motion seeking to remove him from office, although it’s not at all certain there will be enough votes to oust the speaker. On Saturday, a majority of Republicans voted in favor of the package, while 90 opposed it.

“If someone wants to get rid of me because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try,” McCarthy said of the threat to evict him. “But I think this country is too important.”

The White House is tracking developments on Capitol Hill and aides are briefing the president, who is spending the weekend in Washington.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has supported Ukraine aid despite resistance from within his own ranks, is expected to continue to seek U.S. support for Kyiv in its fight against Russia.

“I agree to continue to fight for more economic and security assistance for Ukraine,” McConnell, R-Ky., said before the vote.

Late in the night, the Senate was deadlocked, with Sen. Michael Bennett, D-Colo., delaying a vote seeking assurances that Ukraine funding would be reconsidered.

“I know this is an important moment for America to lead the rest of the world,” Bennett said, noting that his mother was born in Poland in 1938 and survived the Holocaust. “We cannot fail.”

McCarthy earlier planned to pass a Republican-only bill that would slash spending by up to 30% at most government agencies and impose strict border rules, but the White House and Democrats rejected it as too extreme. After five were defeated, the House quickly pivoted.a faction 21 far-right Republicans insist on boycott against it.

“Our options are disappearing by the minute,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, a senior Republican.

The federal government has been committed to Directly enter shutdown state That creates severe uncertainty for federal workers in every state across the country and the people who rely on them — from the military to border control agents to office workers, scientists and others.

Families who rely on Head Start, food benefits and countless other programs large and small are affected. Face potential disruptions or outright shutdowns. At airports, Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers are expected to work without pay, but travelers may face delays in renewing their U.S. passports or other travel documents.

The White House rejected McCarthy’s offer to meet with Biden after McCarthy left the White House. debt deal They helped determine budget levels earlier this year.

To appeal to his far-right base, McCarthy made a number of concessions, including restoring spending limits that conservatives demanded in January as part of a deal to help him Become Speaker of the House of Representatives.

But that wasn’t enough, as conservatives insisted the House follow regular rules and debate and approve 12 separate spending bills needed to fund government agencies, a process that often takes months. In the Senate, all the votes against the package came from Republicans.

Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a leading Republican critic of McCarthy, warned that he would introduce a motion calling for a vote to remove the speaker.

Some Republican die-hards, including Gaetz, are allies of former President Trump, Biden’s main rival in the 2024 election. Trump has been encouraging Republicans to fight hard for their priorities and even “shut it down.”

In an early closed-door session at the Capitol, several House Republicans, particularly those facing tough re-election next year, urged their colleagues to find ways to prevent a government shutdown.

“We all have a responsibility to lead and govern,” said Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.

The only House Democrat to vote against the plan, Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, co-chairman of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said, “It is in our national interest to protect Ukraine.”

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Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Mary Claire Jalonick contributed to this report.