The US House of Representatives approved on Thursday, 2, an extension of government funding until February 18 to avoid a partial stoppage this weekend, but a blockade in the Senate over vaccination rules threatened to delay the progress of the bill. The vote went from 221 to 212.
With current funding set to expire at 12:01 am on Saturday, December 4, legislation also has to pass quickly in the Senate to avoid a stoppage. Leading Democrats and Republicans reached an agreement on the terms of the extension earlier this Thursday. However, some Republicans are pushing to amend the bill to prevent President Joe Biden’s administration from enacting rules that require many employers to ensure that their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly for covid-19.
Republican Party lawmakers are pushing for a simple majority limit on the amendment vote, rather than a 60-vote limit, in hopes of gaining the support of a Democrat in the 50-50 House. Senator Joe Manchin, who previously voted against a similar amendment, said today that he was considering the issue. Still, top leaders of both parties said on Thursday they were confident the dispute would not lead to the government’s closure.
A work stoppage would cause hundreds of thousands of federal workers to leave, but critical functions such as military operations and benefit payments would continue. Before Thursday’s deal, Republicans and Democrats had argued over the length of the spending package, while Democrats sought a shorter extension and Republicans pushed for a longer one. Some Republicans see the extension of current funding, which was defined under Donald Trump, as a way to keep Democrats from setting new spending levels for federal programs. Source: Dow Jones Newswires.
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