Congress rushed to avert a government shutdown as early as this weekend with a sweeping relief bill that includes billions in hurricane aid, along with grants to farmers and a host of other seemingly unrelated priorities.
The bipartisan agreement centers on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded at current levels until mid-March, when Republican leaders who control all three branches of government can try to pass their own budgets.
New spending in the year-end package includes $100 billion in aid for those affected by Hurricane Helene and Milton, $10 billion for farmers and money to rebuild the Baltimore Bridge destroyed in a shipping accident and other budget goodies that are designed to win votes from Democrats. and Republicans.
“We need to be able to help those who are in this difficult situation,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) said the deal would provide money for Democratic priorities such as child care, workforce training and job placement.
“We are now on the path to preventing a government shutdown,” Schumer said.
The measure would prevent a partial government shutdown that would begin after midnight on Friday evening. It would leave final decisions on this budget year’s spending levels to a new Republican-led Congress and newly elected President Donald Trump. The continuing resolution generally continues current levels of agency spending.
Passing the measure is one of the last actions lawmakers will consider this week before suspending the holidays and making way for the next Congress.
The compromise with Democrats follows the same playbook that Johnson has resorted to several times since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives with only a slim majority two years ago.
With some conservatives unwilling to vote for what they call wasteful government spending, Johnson has repeatedly been forced to get help from Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to pass them with widespread support from across the board.
That strategy means Johnson must make major concessions to Democrats on a host of spending issues and avoid introducing right-wing “poison pills” such as anti-abortion or other policy orders.
Conservative Republicans quickly shouted anger at the new bill, and nearly half of the Republican caucus is expected to vote against it. Some budget hawks object to new spending without broad budget reforms that others oppose because they could cause painful cuts to popular programs.
But enough Democrats are likely to support it, allowing it to move to the Senate for final approval.
