House Approves Bill to Prevent Government Shutdown, Sends to Senate Amid Approaching Midnight Deadline

The House passed a short-term bill to avert a government shutdown and fund the government through March 14. It includes $100 billion in disaster aid and a farm bill but excludes a debt limit extension demanded by President-elect Trump. The bill needs to be passed by the Senate before the deadline. House Speaker Mike Johnson called the legislation important and vowed that things would be different when Trump takes office. Earlier, a bipartisan agreement was reached but was rejected due to Trump and Elon Musk’s demands. Johnson faced challenges in maintaining unity within the Republican party. Republicans decided to cut government spending by $2 trillion in a reconciliation package next year instead of raising the debt ceiling as demanded by Trump. Democrats accused Trump of prioritizing tax cuts for the rich over funding critical areas. Schumer urged the House to return to the bipartisan agreement. Democrats framed Musk as influencing Trump’s decisions, portraying him as an oligarch. The battle over government funding highlighted divisions within the Republican party and brought attention to the influence of wealthy individuals like Musk on political decisions.

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