US House passes bill to avert government shutdown
Kyiv • UNN
Republicans passed a bill to prevent a government shutdown and fund federal agencies through September. Bipartisan support from the Senate is needed for final passage.
The Republican Party in the House of Representatives has passed a bill designed to prevent a government shutdown. This is reported by UNN with reference to the news agency Reuters and the publication Assotiated Press (AP).
Details
On Tuesday, March 11, the House of Representatives passed a bill designed to prevent a partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies until September, giving the bill crucial momentum as it now goes to the Senate, where it will need bipartisan support to pass.
Republicans needed overwhelming support from their members to take the funding measure, and they got it in the House vote 217-213
It is noted that in the Senate they will need the support of at least eight Democrats for the bill to reach President Donald Trump's desk.
This is one of the biggest legislative tests of the Republican president's second term, prompting Vice President J. D. Vance to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning to gain support
Legislators said the bill would cut non-defense spending by $13 billion compared to fiscal year 2024 levels and increase defense spending by $6 billion, which is quite insignificant changes for both categories compared to the overall top figure of nearly $1.7 trillion in discretionary spending.
According to the publication, the bill does not cover a significant portion of government spending, including social security and Medicare. Funding for these two programs is not reviewed by Congress on a regular basis.
Democrats are most concerned about the discretion the bill gives the Trump administration in making spending decisions. They are already alarmed by the administration's attempts to make large cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which is run by Trump's billionaire advisor Elon Musk.
Reminder
US President Donald Trump announced a possible suspension of the government due to the actions of the Democratic Party. Congress plans to vote on a resolution on temporary funding to prevent a "shutdown".
