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- The Senate avoided a government shutdown on Thursday evening.
- The body voted 65-27 to pass a measure that will fund the federal government through March 11.
- The bill now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk for enactment.
The Senate on Thursday passed a stopgap measure to fully fund the federal government through March 11, narrowly preventing a possible shutdown ahead of a Friday deadline.
The measure passed the chamber by a 65-27 vote — which Republicans delayed for several days by prioritizing other legislation.
The House of Representatives voted last week to approve the continuing resolution. The measure now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk for a signature.
The move gives lawmakers three more weeks to finalize a longer-term spending package, which they have been negotiating for months.
This is one of several stopgap measures that have occurred since the beginning of the current fiscal year that began in October 2021 and concludes in September 2022. It comes amid increasing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
“A government shutdown would be useless, senseless. Can you imagine how that would look to the Russians?” Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said during the hearing.
“Let’s not slow things down, Leahy, a Democratic senator of Vermont, added. “Let’s vote on the continuing resolution. Let’s show the United States of America and the rest of the world that we can stay open.”
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