The U.S. House of Representatives voted 336-95 on Tuesday to approve a plan that will help to avert a partial government shutdown this Saturday, while pushing off debates over spending priorities until early 2024.
The current funding for all government agencies expires at midnight on Friday, so Congress and the White House had to come up with a short-term deal to keep the government running. Speaker Mike Johnson, leader of the narrow Republican majority in the House, proposed a plan that would extend funding for some government agencies through mid-January and others until early February. This plan was approved by both Democrats and Republicans, with 209 Democrats voting in favor and 127 Republicans voting in favor.
Since Johnson’s plan does not include the spending cuts or policy changes that some right-wing Republicans were hoping for, some of the archconservatives made it clear that they would vote against the plan. However, Johnson was still able to get enough votes to pass the plan.
The Senate is expected to approve the plan and send it to President Joe Biden for his signature. Johnson’s plan does not include billions of dollars in new financial assistance Biden sought for Ukraine and Israel, but Congress is likely to consider more funding for those countries in separate legislation in the coming weeks.
If Congress does not pass new funding for government agencies by midnight Friday, nonessential government operations such as camping at national parks, advice to taxpayers, and some scientific research will be halted. Credit rating agencies have recently downgraded the government’s credit rating due to the budget uncertainty, which could lead to higher borrowing costs for the United States.
Johnson’s “laddered” funding expiration dates are intended to avoid the tradition of passing massive spending measures just before the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, when few lawmakers have had time to read and digest them. This plan will allow Congress to debate and decide on spending levels for the government through next September, or to approve another short-term deal.
Overall, the House of Representatives’ decision to approve Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan will help to avert a partial government shutdown this Saturday. It will also allow Congress to debate and decide on spending levels for the government through next September, or to approve another short-term deal. This plan is a positive step forward that will help to keep the government running while avoiding the massive spending measures that have been passed in the past.
