Biden signs bill to avert government shutdown, approves bill to fund government through Dec. 3

 

                                                                                                                       image credit nbcnews

WASHINGTON – Congress and President Joe Biden averted a government shutdown just hours before a midnight deadline Thursday with a bill that funds the government through Dec. 3.

Congress passed the bill earlier in the day and the president signed it into law shortly after, with less than five hours to spare.

The House voted 254-175 to approve the bill that raced through both chambers in a few hours. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the legislation would keep government services functioning, prevent furloughs for hundreds of thousands of workers and protect the economy.

“A shutdown is not anything anyone wants," Pelosi said.

The Senate had voted earlier 65-35 to approve the measure.

“At this time – at any time – it is a very, very bad thing to let the government shut down," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

The vote capped days of drama in Washington, where a lack of action had federal offices preparing contingency and furlough plans for if the government shut down. A deal to keep the government running materialized Wednesday evening after Democrats gave up on an effort to include a provision to raise the nation's limit on borrowing. 

Source usatoday