Senate passes invoice to cease shutdown, sending it to President Biden’s desk

Senators voted to move a brand new model of a stopgap spending invoice early Saturday morning after the midnight deadline for a partial authorities shutdown got here and went.

The Senate superior the third model of a short-term spending invoice, and it’ll now head to President Biden’s desk, who has already signaled that he’ll signal it. 

An unique settlement on a short-term spending invoice was launched earlier within the week, totaling 1,547-pages and together with quite a lot of coverage provisions and catastrophe assist. 

However quickly after its launch, billionaire Elon Musk and different conservative critics publicly blasted the measure, in the end leading to it being condemned by President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. 

SENATE DEMS RAIL AGAINST ‘SHADOW SPEAKER’ BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK: ‘NOT ELECTED TO ANYTHING’

Congress handed a short-term spending invoice with solely hours till the shutdown deadline. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures)

“Republicans should GET SMART and TOUGH. If Democrats threaten to close down the federal government until we give them all the things they need, then CALL THEIR BLUFF. It’s Schumer and Biden who’re holding up assist to our farmers and catastrophe reduction,” Trump and Vance mentioned in a prolonged assertion opposing the invoice on Wednesday afternoon.

The preliminary spending measure would have prolonged authorities funding ranges for fiscal yr 2024 via March 14 and supply over $100 billion in catastrophe assist for these affected by storms Helene and Milton within the U.S. Southeast earlier this yr. There was additionally a $10 billion provision for financial help to farmers within the invoice. 

In the meantime, as of Thursday, the U.S. nationwide debt was at $36,167,604,149,955.61 and was persevering with to climb quickly. 

SENATE REPUBLICANS TRY TO FAST-TRACK EMERGENCY MILITARY PAY AS THEY BRACE FOR SHUTDOWN

Elon Musk was vocally in opposition to the primary iteration of the invoice.  (Photograph by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Publish by way of Getty Pictures)

The dimensions of the invoice, together with a number of of its different provisions, together with a value of residing elevate for lawmakers, prompted the general public response from Musk and others. 

“Any member of the Home or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending invoice deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” he wrote on X. 

After heading again to the drafting board, Home Republicans emerged on Thursday with a brand new proposal. The revised measure would have prolonged present funding ranges for 3 months and included a debt restrict suspension for 2 years, per the request of Trump. 

Moreover, it had financial reduction for farmers and about $110 billion in catastrophe assist. 

However the invoice failed on the Home flooring Thursday evening as Democrats united in opposition to it and a big group of Republicans opted to oppose it as effectively.

TOP SENATE DEMS POUR COLD WATER ON LATEST GOP SPENDING BILL PLANS: ‘READY TO STAY’ THROUGH CHRISTMAS

Johnson was left to discover a new stopgap invoice after Musk’s opposition. (Jean Catuffe/GC Pictures/Andrew Harnik/Getty Pictures)

“Outdated invoice: $110BB in deficit spending (unpaid for), $0 improve within the nationwide bank card. New invoice: $110BB in deficit spending (unpaid for), $4 TRILLION+ debt ceiling improve with $0 in structural reforms for cuts. Time to learn the invoice: 1.5 hours. I’ll vote no,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, wrote on X forward of the vote. 

Roy was one in every of 38 Home Republicans that opposed the stopgap invoice. 

Home Speaker Mike Johnson, left, and Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer (Reuters)

By Friday morning, there seemed to be no settlement between Democrats and Republicans in Congress to work collectively on a brand new invoice. The truth is, Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash., mentioned the federal government would go right into a partial shutdown at midnight if Republicans didn’t return to the unique stopgap invoice. 

“I am prepared to remain right here via Christmas as a result of we’re not going to let Elon Musk run the federal government,” Murray mentioned in a press release. 

TIM SCOTT’S SENATE CAMPAIGN ARM STAFF REVEALED AHEAD OF CRUCIAL 2026 SWING STATE RACES

Democrats didn’t get their want, which was a return to the unique invoice. (Reuters)

Schumer mentioned in remarks on the Senate flooring that the unique invoice would move within the Home if Speaker Mike Johnson introduced it to the ground for a vote. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The third measure, which in the end handed the Home and Senate, was much like the one which failed the evening prior. The invoice included financial reduction for farmers and catastrophe assist for these affected by current storms. Nevertheless, the ultimate stopgap invoice didn’t embrace a suspension of the debt ceiling, which Trump had requested himself. 

The Home handed the short-term spending invoice with 366 sure votes, surpassing the required two-thirds.