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The White House has announced that President Biden signed an interim funding bill on Saturday, extending government funding through March and averting a shutdown.
The bill provides more than $100 billion in disaster relief for those affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton in the southeastern United States earlier this year. There was also a $10 billion provision for financial assistance to farmers in the bill.
The Senate worked until Saturday morning to pass the bill 85-11, just past the deadline after a chaotic week on Capitol Hill.
SENATE APPROVED BILL TO STOP STAFFING, SENDS IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S WRITING
The White House has announced that President Biden signed an interim funding bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding through March and averting a shutdown. (AP)
President Biden has not yet spoken publicly about whether the legislation will pass.
“H.R. 10545, the “American Relief Act, 2025,” providing appropriations for fiscal year 2025 to Federal agencies through March 14, 2025, for projects and continuing activities of the Federal Government; provides appropriations disaster relief and financial assistance to farmers; extends the Farm Improvement Act of 2018 and extends several expiring authorities,” says a statement from the White House.
President-elect Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) clashed this week over the spending legislation. (Getty Images)
WHITE HOUSE URGES BIDEN WHO REFUSES TO TALK PUBLICLY BEFORE SHUTDOWN
President-elect Trump He also hasn’t spoken publicly since the bill’s passage, though sources tell Fox the new president isn’t all that happy with the bill because it doesn’t suspend the debt ceiling.
Trump had called out Republicans act on the debt limit as part of his talks to avoid a government shutdown, a demand that dozens of conservative GOP lawmakers have resisted because of their concerns about the national debt, which has topped 36 trillions of dollars.
A 1,547-page continuing resolution (CR) was scrapped earlier this week after objections from Elon Musk and President-elect Trump. A watered-down version was rejected by House members Thursday before the House overwhelmingly approved Speaker Mike Johnson’s new bill Friday by a 366-34 vote.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warned Friday that a shutdown could have disrupted the incoming administration’s presidential transition process.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer gives a thumbs up as he leaves the Senate chamber after speaking on the Senate floor on December 20, 2024. ((Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images))
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the passage of the funding legislation early Saturday.
“There will be no government shutdown right before Christmas,” Schumer wrote to X. “We will keep the government open with a bipartisan bill that funds the government, helps affected Americans. by the hurricanes and natural disasters, help our farmers and avoid harmful cuts.
Fox News’ Julia Johnson and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
