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US Congress approves short-term budget to avoid shutdown
WASHINGTON, Dec 22, 2017 (BSS/AFP) – The Republican-controlled US Congress
on Thursday passed a short-term funding bill to keep the federal government
running for four more weeks, averting a looming shutdown.
Members of the House of voted 231-188 for the bill and the Senate followed
with a 66 to 32 vote.
The temporary funding extension — which lasts until January 19 — gives
more time to lawmakers from both parties to reach an agreement on funding for
the remainder of the 2018 fiscal year, which ends September 30.
Opposition Democrats had the numbers to block the Republican bill in the
Senate, giving them the ability leverage concessions from the majority party
on policy priorities.
Some Democratic senators opposed the measure because it did not address
the fate of hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who came to the United
States as children, whose status has been thrown into doubt by President
Donald Trump.
In the House, some Republicans had threatened to vote “no” on the
temporary funding bill because it does not fund the Department of Defense for
the entire year.
Earlier in the day, Trump accused Democrats of trying to block the bill in
order to close down the federal government — something that did not in the
end occur.
“House Democrats want a SHUTDOWN for the holidays in order to distract
from the very popular, just passed, Tax Cuts. House Republicans, don’t let
this happen,” he tweeted. “Pass the (bill) TODAY and keep our Government
OPEN!”
The House also approved $81 billion in funding on Thursday for states and
territories devastated by hurricanes and wildfires this summer and fall.
BSS/AFP/RY/08:15 hrs