The U.S. House is expected to vote on a stopgap spending bill today that would keep the government funded through Dec. 16, as lawmakers race against a Friday deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown..
The bill, known as a continuing resolution, or CR, would extend funding for federal agencies at their current levels. It would also provide $12.3 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine, as well as $1 billion for disaster relief, including aid for victims of Hurricane Ian..
The House is expected to pass the bill by a wide margin, but it faces an uncertain fate in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said he will bring the bill to the floor for a vote, but it is unclear whether it will have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster..
If the Senate does not pass the bill by Friday, the government will shut down non-essential services. This would mean that hundreds of thousands of federal employees would be furloughed and many government services would be suspended..
The stopgap spending bill is a temporary measure that will allow Congress to continue negotiating a long-term spending bill. The current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, and Congress must pass a new budget by that date in order to avoid a government shutdown..
Congress has been unable to pass a long-term spending bill for the past several years due to disagreements between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats want to increase spending on social programs, while Republicans want to cut spending and taxes..
The stopgap spending bill is a way to keep the government funded while Congress continues to negotiate a long-term budget. However, it is not a long-term solution, and Congress will need to pass a new budget by Sept. 30 in order to avoid a government shutdown..
