Both Houses of the US Congress passed, on Thursday night (2), a law to keep federal government funds until February 18, thus avoiding a partial stoppage starting this weekend.
The House of Representatives approved the extension of the resolution to finance government operations, by 221 votes to 212. In previous days, Republicans in the Senate had threatened to block the bill’s progress, intending to use the government’s stoppage to prevent measures by President Joe Biden to require regular vaccinations or testing of employees of large companies.
At the last minute, the Senate ended the stalemate with a vote of 69 to 28 that approved the continuation of the resolution, which now goes to Biden’s cabinet.
Senators from both parties realized that a government stoppage, however temporary, would infuriate the public, who would blame both Democrats and Republicans, reports local media.
For Democrats, the stoppage would be especially unfavorable at the present time, when Biden is facing 40% approval and needs to act against the threat of the new variant of the coronavirus.
The new agreement covers US federal government spending through February 18th. After that date, lawmakers must either take another short-term step or finish work on a set of bills, which are stalled, to fund the government’s operation for the remainder of fiscal year 2022, which ends in September.
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