US Senate votes to avert government shutdown

The US Senate approved a stopgap funding bill on Thursday to keep the government open past midnight, when existing federal funds expire. The House approved the short-term funding measure by a 254-175 vote shortly afterward. 

The stopgap funding bill will keep the government funded through December 3.

The vote passed with opposition Republicans supporting the Democrats in a rare show of cross-party unity. 

“This is a good outcome, one I’m happy we are getting done,” French news agency AFP quoted Chuck Schumer, the top Democratic senator, as saying ahead of the vote.

“With so many things to take care of here in Washington, the last thing the American people need is for the government to grind to a halt,” he added.

The rare example of bipartisan cooperation comes with Democratic leaders trying to work out a deal over Biden’s faltering $3.5 trillion (€3 trillion) social spending package, which has no Republican support, as well as a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill to revamp the country’s roads and bridges.    

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was meeting privately with factions of lawmakers throughout the day, determined to push ahead and strike a deal with Biden over the $3.5 trillion social spending package.

The Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill is scheduled for a vote in the House on Thursday, though analysts say it appears to have no chance of passing.

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/us-senate-votes-to-avert-government-shutdown/a-59371275?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf