WASHINGTON – The US Senate cleared a government-funded suspension spending bill on Friday and sent the law to President Donald Trump.
The White House said Saturday afternoon that Trump signed the measure to avoid shutting down the government.
The day after the 54-46 Senate vote, Trump’s signature will continue to operate primarily the federal government under spending levels and policies, similar to what Congress approved about a year ago when Congress passed the full year budget bill for the previous year. However, the StopGap bill will slightly increase defense spending while reducing domestic funding authorities.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was the only Republican to vote against the passing. Main independent Sen. Angus King and New Hampshire Democrat Sen. Jeanne Shaheen voted to approve the only bill they support other than Republicans.
Following days of Democrats’ debate over whether the Senate approval would support the progress of the bill written by the GOP, minority leader Chuck Schumer said Trump could take more power over the government.
Discussions about House Pass Suspension Expense Invoice It was more complicated than usual. The majority of Senate Democrats believe that the ongoing resolution will shorten key federal programs and do not believe it is sufficient to strengthen Congress’ constitutional powers to spend its expenditure in light of Trump’s efforts to reshape the size and scope of the federal government.
Many of these actions are pending Dozens of lawsuits Move the federal court system. But Democrats who opposed the bill felt that lawmakers had to listen to them too.
Other Democrats argued that partial government shutdowns would allow Trump to make funding decisions and allow more room to do more harm to federal workers.
Republicans largely supported the suspension spending bill. But many lamented that the House and Senate did not do anything more to agree to a full year government funding bill.
‘Inherently fails
Senate Speaker R-Maine, Speaker of Senate Susan Collins, said the Stop-Gap Expense Bill is not the first option to fund the government, but the only option to prevent funding from lapsing.
“The shutdown of government is essentially a failure to govern effectively and has negative consequences across the government,” Collins said. “They inevitably require certain government officials, such as Border Patrol agents, our military and coast guard members, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers, to report to them to be completely certain that they will be doing their job when they will receive their next salary.”
Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, a ranking member of the Budget Committee, has rebuked House Republican leaders as he drafted his own spending bill and hopes to vote for Democrats.
“In my time in Congress, one party has never written a partisan full-year budget bill for all governments, and I was hoping that the other parties would go without any opinions,” Murray said.
The StopGap spending bill, she said, would cut overall spending on the domestic program, if GOP leaders tried to negotiate with them.
“We’re talking about a nearly 50% reduction in life-saving medical research on conditions that affect service members,” Murray said. “This is a huge shortage of funding for the NIH. It’s a massive cut in funding for Army Corps projects, bringing $15 billion less to domestic priorities.”
“This bill forces Social Security to cut staff and closed offices, making it difficult for seniors to spend their careers and make money by paying the system,” Murray added. “It creates a devastating shortage that risks tens of thousands of Americans losing their homes, and so this bill creates real pain for communities around the country.”
Murray also criticized House Republicans for releasing the suspension spending bill days before the deadline and then departing for a break shortly after voting to send measures to the Senate. The move prevented the Senate from modifying the CR in any way if Congress wanted to avoid a shutdown.
The Senate voted to decline amendments from Oregon Democrat Sen. Jeff Merkley, Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Maryland Democrat Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Paul before approving the bill.
Schumer’s decision
Schumer said he voted to limit the discussion to avoid giving Trump, Elon Musk and the US de de Service the authority to decide which federal employees have been exempt from the effects of the closure and essentially abandoned. Under federal law, when the closure ends, both categories of federal workers receive repayments.
“In the shutdown, Donald Trump and Doge have the power to determine what is essential and what is not, and their views on what is not essential are mean and vicious, destroying important services and causing unimaginable harm to the American people,” Schumer said.
Democrats who voted to advance the StopGap spending bill said they wanted to focus on Trump’s actions as president and not distract from the widespread impact of shutting down the government.
“The shutdown will be a costly distraction from all this important fight,” Schumer said.
He pointed out that the suspension spending bill does not change the constitution or law that says Congress must control spending and the president must implement those laws.
“The CR did not change the fundamental laws and made the Trump administration’s reservoirs and mass shootings illegal,” Schumer said. “There are CR’s Water Storage Management Act, the Congressional Expenditures Bureau Foundation, and USAID and other agencies, and there is no change to the licensing laws that require Congress to operate the programs assigned to them.
Senate rules require at least 60 lawmakers to vote to cut off discussions about the bill. The GOP currently holds 53 seats and needed democratic buy-in to advance the regular bill. That’s the procedural vote 62-38.
Restrict votes for Nevada Democrat Katherine Cortez Mast, Dick Durbin of Illinois, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Gary Peters of Michigan, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, King and Shaimeh.
Delayed spending invoice
The Congress was to draft, debate and approve. Dozens of annual budget bills By the start of this fiscal year on October 1st, almost six months ago.
The bill funds agriculture, commerce, defense, education, energy, health, welfare, homeland security, housing and urban development, internal, justice, labor, national, transportation, the Treasury, and veteran issues.
They also fund Congress, the Supreme Court, and numerous smaller institutions, including NASA and the National Science Foundation.
The House Budget Committee approved all 12 bills by partisan votes, allowing the House to pass five across the floor without widespread democratic support last summer.
The Senate committee approved 11 bills in July and August, and voted widely bipartisanally, but no action appeared on the floor due to debate.
The House and Senate regularly negotiated a final version of the spending bill, even if they didn’t receive floor approval and began the meeting process in September, or during the August break.
However, Congressional leaders chose to focus their attention on the November election and continued to run the government until mid-December, a rather predictable move, using the suspension spending bill.
After Republicans gained unified control of the government, Congress used a second ongoing resolution to fund the government until March 14th.
The Approximate Budget Committee leaders have spent the past few months trying to obtain bipartisan house agreements at the total spending level for the current fiscal year. But that ended this weekend when I was a House Republican. StopGap spending bill has been released Funding will be provided to the government until September.
house Voted 217-213 on Tuesday Send a continuing resolution to the Senate. Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massey was the only GOP lawmaker to vote against it, while Maine Rep. Jared Golden was the only Democrat in that room to support the bill.
“Congratulations to Chuck Schumer.”
Trump said he would sign a suspension spending bill. Management Policy Statement It was published on Tuesday.
“HR 1968 includes a critical funding focus set to enable the administration to implement key programs and fulfill its duties, including healthcare and benefits for veterans.
“The bill also addresses new threats by giving the Department of Defense the resources and flexibility needed to consult with Congress to adjust funding to current priorities and allowing a ‘new start’ that includes other key provisions. ”
Trump joined social media ahead of the procedural vote, who thanked him for announcing a vote to limit discussion.
“Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing – I’ve taken the courage and courage! There are major tax cuts, La Fire Fix, and the debt cap bill, and more. We should all work together in very dangerous situations.” “Non-pass will become a rural destroyer. Recognition will take us to new heights. Again, a really good and clever move by Senator Schumer. This is a big thing for America, a whole new direction and beginning!
Last updated at 12:38pm, March 15, 2025
