Senate Approves Spending Bill, the Threat of a Government Shutdown Has Been Averted

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The Senate approved a stopgap spending bill with an 87-11 vote on Wednesday night, securing government funding until early next year averting a government shutdown.

The White House had indicated earlier that the president would approve the bill upon its passage in the Senate, provided it “maintains current funding levels and has no harmful policy riders.” With the Senate’s endorsement, the bill is now poised to be sent to President Biden for his signature.

“No government shutdown, no cuts to vital programs, no poison pills. This is a great outcome for the American people,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

Earlier this week, the recently elected House Speaker, Mike Johnson (R-LA), successfully passed the stopgap spending bill through the House of Representatives, yet sounded a warning about the about the imminent threat posed by the growing federal debt.

Despite facing criticism from GOP critics on Tuesday, who denounced the bill for not delivering immediate spending cuts or stricter U.S. border policies, there was a degree of sympathy expressed for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).

House conservatives, showing a level of understanding, were willing to allow new Speaker Johnson to advance a short-term spending bill without jeopardizing his position just three weeks into his tenure.

According to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and member of the House Freedom Caucus, the only distinction between the bills passed by former Speaker McCarthy and current Speaker Johnson was the time they had to prepare.

Gaetz emphasized the contrast in preparation time, stating, “McCarthy had seven months, and he dragged us along…Johnson has had a few weeks. We’re gonna give him the time to design his plays and run his offense.”

Gaetz cautioned Speaker Johnson against attempting to pass another short-term spending bill, stating, “It’s tough to get two mulligans on the same course.”

Earlier this week, Johnson stated when passing the temporary spending measure, “It took decades to get into this mess. I’ve been on the job for three weeks. I can’t turn an aircraft carrier overnight, but this was a very important first step to get us to the next stage so we can change how Washington works.”

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