The U.S. government narrowly avoided a shutdown as both the House and Senate approved a funding bill in the early hours of Saturday.
The final bill funds the government through March 14, 2025 and allocates $100 billion for disaster relief and includes a one-year extension of the farm bill.
President Joe Biden is set to sign the bill, ensuring federal operations continue without disruption, including pay for military personnel, Border Patrol agents, and air traffic controllers.
The House passed the bill late Friday 366-34, followed by an 85-11 Senate vote early Saturday morning. Although the final voting took place technically past the midnight deadline, the White House assured all government agencies would remain operational.
Initial bipartisan agreement on the bill suddenly collapsed after online intervention first by Elon Musk this Wednesday, then by President-elect Donald Trump, prompting Republican leaders to revise the bill.
When he weighed in, Trump called for an extension on the debt ceiling, but opposition from Democrats and some Republicans led to its removal from the final package.
Republican Speaker Mike Johnson managed to unify his party after tense negotiations, underlining the ways the package supports farmers, disaster victims, and essential services during the holidays. “We are really grateful that tonight, in bipartisan fashion, with an overwhelming majority of votes, we passed the American Relief Act of 2025. This is a very important piece of legislation,” he told reporters after the vote. “It funds the government, of course, until March of 2025. That was a big priority for us.”
Majority Leader Democrat Chuck Schumer also celebrated the effort to prevent a holiday shutdown: “Tonight the Senate delivers good news for America: There will be no government shutdown right before Christmas,” he said. “After a chaotic few days in the House, it’s good news that the bipartisan approach prevailed. It’s a good lesson for next year.”
When the senate reconvenes for its next session on Jan. 3, the Republicans will have the majority.