House passes stopgap bill to avert shutdown before midterms
Congress passed a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown just weeks before the midterm elections.
The update
The House passed a measure Tuesday to extend government funding into December, averting a shutdown in the final stretch of the midterm campaign. The vote was 370 to 48. The bill passed after GOP leaders fast-tracked the legislation, requiring a two-thirds majority for passage. Funding is now set to expire on Dec. 11, more than a month after the November elections.
Why it matters
This stopgap measure pushes the fight over annual appropriations bills past the election. The House Appropriations Committee has advanced all 12 annual funding bills since April, but none have passed the Senate. Lawmakers are scheduled to be out of session for nearly all of October to campaign, making a shutdown a significant risk to both government operations and campaign plans.
What to watch
Senate approval is the next hurdle. House leaders have signaled a preference for a longer-term deal, but the Senate has not yet signaled its path forward. With funding lapses looming after Sept. 30, the Senate’s stance will determine whether a shutdown is avoided or if Congress must return to Washington for a yearlong stopgap measure or a shutdown.
Sources
- cbsnews.com — The vote count, the date of the vote, the extension date, and the status of the appropriations process in the Senate.
- thehill.com — Context on the timing of the vote relative to the campaign season and the House leadership's approach.