U.S. Congress Passes Stopgap Funding Bill, Avoiding Shutdown

Image Credit: Speaker Kevin McCarthy / Facebook

The Center Square [By Dan McCaleb] –

President Joe Biden late Saturday night signed a stopgap funding bill that will temporarily keep the federal government open.

The president’s signature came shortly after Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, with a midnight Saturday deadline looming before a partial government shutdown, brokered a deal with Democrats on what he called a “clean funding bill.”

The measure, which will keep the federal government open into mid-November, includes $16 billion in disaster relief funding but no additional financial aid for Ukraine, according to several national media outlets. It passed the House, 335-91, and then moved to the Senate, where it passed 88-9.

“I just signed a law to keep the government open for 47 days. There’s plenty of time to pass Government funding bills for the next fiscal year, and I strongly urge Congress to get to work right away,” Biden tweeted. “The American people expect their government to work. Let’s make sure it does.”

The brokered deal could have significant implications for McCarthy. The more conservative members of the House Republican caucus opposed the measure, and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz told CNN Sunday that he will try to remove McCarthy from his leadership post this week.

Here are the 21 GOP members of Congress who voted no to the stopgap funding bill:

• Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.
• Rep. Dan Bishop, R- N.C.
• Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.
• Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo.
• Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.
• Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo.
• Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas.
• Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz.
• Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.
• Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.
• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.
• Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas.
• Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.
• Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill.
• Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla.
• Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.V.
• Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala.
• Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas.
• Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn.
• Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.
• Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas.

Here are the nine Senate Republicans who voted against the continuing resolution:

• Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
• Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.)
• Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
• Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.)
• Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah)
• Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)
• Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
• Sen. Eric Schmitt (Mo.)