With less than three hours before a government shutdown would start, the Senate passed a stopgap funding measure first approved by the House, with more Democratic support than Republican.
President Biden signed it into law shortly before the midnight deadline.
The bill keeps the government funded until Nov. 17. It keeps the FAA funded through year’s end.
The “clean” continuing resolution notably lacks any funding for Ukraine, spending cuts or border policy changes.
Follow along with live updates below.
White House: Biden will ‘promptly’ sign bill
The White House confirmed that the House CR passed less than an hour ago by the Senate was on its way to the president’s desk, “where he will promptly sign it into law,” according to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Biden forcefully calls for Ukraine aid
President Biden acknowledged Congress’s work to avert a government shutdown in a statement issued shortly after the Senate passage of a stopgap measure.
But he noted it didn’t need to get to this point — “we should never have been in this position in the first place” — given a budget agreement he and McCarthy struck months prior.
And he forcefully laid out an expectation for Ukraine aid: “We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment.”
Schumer gives speech after vote to avoid shutdown
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), in remarks after passage of the stopgap bill, lauded the chamber’s bipartisan work, while acknowledging the day was full of “twists and turns.”
“Our bipartisan work in the Senate set the tone for the bill we’re about to pass,” Schumer said. “Our bipartisanship made this possible and showed the House that they had to act.”
“We will keep the government open for 45 days with a clean CR at current funding levels,” Schumer continued. “And we avoided all of the extreme, nasty and harmful cuts MAGA Republicans wanted.”
— Tara Suter
The Senate ‘no’ votes
Nine Republican senators voted against the stopgap funding bill, which passed 88-9:
- Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.)
- Mike Braun (Ind.)
- Ted Cruz (Texas)
- Bill Hagerty (Tenn.)
- Mike Lee (Utah)
- Roger Marshall (Kansas)
- Rand Paul (Ky.)
- Eric Schmitt (Mo.)
- J.D. Vance (Ohio)
Congress votes to avert shutdown
Congress has averted a shutdown with just hours to spare, capping a dramatic day that started with a lapse in government funding appearing all but inevitable.
The Senate voted 88-9 to pass a “clean” continuing resolution (CR) that funds the government at current levels through Nov. 17 and gives the Biden administration $16 billion it requested to assist victims of natural disasters. The House had earlier passed the measure in a bipartisan 335-91 vote.
The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature before midnight, with both sides claiming victory.
The vote came together after a hectic day on both sides of the Capitol.
— Al Weaver
Senate voting
The Senate is voting now by roll call on the House stopgap funding bill. The measure extends government funding until Nov. 17.
House Democratic leaders vow support for Ukraine
House Democratic leadership renewed their support for securing aid to Ukraine hours after the House passed a stopgap funding bill.
“When the House returns, we expect Speaker McCarthy to advance a bill to the House Floor for an up-or-down vote that supports Ukraine, consistent with his commitment to making sure that Vladimir Putin, Russia and authoritarianism are defeated. We must stand with the Ukrainian people until victory is won,” read a statement issued by Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) and Vice Chair Ted Lieu (D-Calif.).
Democrat explains lone ‘no’ vote
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) was the only Democrat to vote against the CR, which passed in a 335-91 vote.
He attributed his vote to the lack of Ukraine aid in the bill.
“The Republican Party has become the party of appeasers, pro-Putin folks,” Quigley said. “Today our folks were forced into a decision and no one wanted to make, have Americans suffer or do what we did today, which was to abandon Ukraine.”
“We gotta fix this in 45 days because right now, Putin is celebrating,” he added.
— Aris Folley
Jeffries lauds bill that protects priorities
Speaking after the House vote, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) celebrated the fact that the stopgap funding bill kept Democratic priorities funded.
“We said from the beginning that we were going to protect Social Security, protect Medicare, protect Medicaid protect public education, protect public safety, protect those individuals who secure us all across the land, protect veterans protect our ability to continue to combat the climate crisis. Protect the economy and protect the ability of our government to provide for the health, the safety and the economic well-being of the American people. And that is what the spending agreement that Democrats overwhelmingly supported on the floor of the House of Representatives accomplished today.”
McCarthy emphasizes he still supports Ukraine
Emphasizing that “what Russia has done is wrong,” McCarthy wants a plan before funding aid.
“We have to have define what victory is and what the plan is. And I think what the White House needs to do is come down and talk with us.”
McCarthy says he wants “to get things done”
Speaking after the House passed a stopgap measure, McCarthy noted he wanted to keep the government open to keep paying troops.
“So if you have members in your conference, that won’t let you vote for appropriation bills, doesn’t want an omnibus and won’t vote for a Scott stopgap measure. So the only answer is to shut down and not pay our troops. I don’t want to be a part of that team. I want to be a part of a conservative group that wants to get things done.”
He said he’d welcome back into the fold the 21 Republicans who voted against the GOP bill on Friday and get a conservative bill, “if they would simply vote with us.”
McCarthy is speaking now
Watch it live here.
House Dems to make remarks shortly
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) will hold a press conference at 3:30 p.m., to give remarks on the just-passed stopgap funding bill.
House sends Senate bill to avert government shutdown
The House on Saturday approved a “clean” stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown, sending the legislation to the Senate for consideration hours before the midnight funding deadline.
The measure would keep the government funded at current spending levels for 45 days and it includes $16 billion in disaster relief — matching the figure the White House included in a supplemental request. It does not include Ukraine aid or border policy changes.
The chamber cleared the stopgap bill in an overwhelmingly bipartisan 335-91 vote hours after Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) rolled out the proposal. One Democrat and 90 Republicans voted against the measure.
— Mychael Schnell
New York Democrat says he could vote for CR without Ukraine aid
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) says he’s “inclined to” vote on the GOP’s 45-day clean stopgap funding bill despite the exclusion of Ukraine aide.
“I support Ukraine aid, but am I willing to shut down the government over it? No,” he said.
— Aris Folley
McConnell announces Senate Republicans won’t let bipartisan CR advance
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Senate Republicans will vote against advancing the chamber’s bipartisan stopgap spending bill as members see an emerging bill coming from the House as the main way to avoid a government shutdown.
McConnell told reporters that the House bill, which is a 45-day continuing resolution that includes disaster aid funding but no money for Ukraine, is the preferred option of his members, and that they will overwhelmingly vote against cloture in order to focus on that option.
“I’m fairly confident that most of my members — our members — are going to vote against cloture,” McConnell said. “Not necessarily because they are opposed to the underlying bill. But to see what the House can do on a bipartisan basis, and then bring it over to us.”
“Under these circumstances, I’m recommending a ‘no’ vote,” McConnell continued. “Even though I very much want to avoid a government shutdown.”
— Al Weaver
Democrats pan GOP ‘clean’ CR
House Democrats are panning a Republican-backed bill to prevent a government shutdown for not including Ukraine aid and other language they claim could lead to members getting a “pay raise.”
In a one-page memo put together and circulated by Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee, they slam the Republicans’ stopgap bill as being a “Not So ‘Clean’ Continuing Resolution,” while instead pushing for the Senate’s bipartisan stopgap bill.
Democrats also argue the House GOP plan would deny “critical additional resources to the Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid” and “lead to longer call times when borrowers reach out to their student loan services.”
The Republican proposal would rely heavily on Democratic votes to pass, so all eyes are or what Democrats decide.
— Aris Folley
Jeffries starts his magic minute
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has begun what appears to be a “magic minute,” which allows party leaders in the House to speak on the floor without a time limit.
The move would give Democrats additional time to decide what to do with a “clean,” 45-day CR the Republicans unveiled Saturday morning.
“I rise today to have a conversation with the American people. So strap in, because this may take a little while,” he said to applause from Democrats.
Earlier, Democrats called a vote to adjourn as another stall tactic. It failed 0-427.
Senate Republicans back McCarthy clean CR plan
Multiple Senate Republicans indicated that they believe the new House GOP push to pass a 45-day stopgap spending measure that includes disaster aid funding is the way forward for lawmakers in order to avoid a government shutdown by the midnight deadline.
“I think that’s the only thing that’s going to work,” Sen. Mike Braun (R-Wis.) told The Hill, adding that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) would be making a major mistake if he doesn’t back it.
“If not, he’s voting to shut the government down. That’s so easy to connect those dots,” Braun.
— Al Weaver
Motion to adjourn called
Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) has called a motion to adjourn.
House Republicans had been hoping to vote on their newly-proposed clean CR.
“Our intention is not to adjourn. Our intention is to read the bill,” House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) said.
McCarthy brushes off threats of ouster
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) faces threats to his Speakership from hardline conservatives like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) who have warned McCarthy to not put a clean CR on the floor.
“If someone wants to remove because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try,” McCarthy said.
“But I think this country is too important. And I will stand with our military. I’ll stand with our border agents. I’ll stand with those that have to get their medicine from government as well. I think that’s too important,” McCarthy said.
“And you know what, if I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, I will do that,” McCarthy said.
— Emily Brooks
House could vote on clean CR
Republicans leaving a conference meeting said they plan to vote on a 45-day “clean” continuing resolution that includes money for disaster relief.
It will not have border policy changes, a non-starter for Democrats, or funds for Ukraine that some Republicans opposed.
The idea of a GOP-only stopgap funding deal, meanwhile, appears dead, one lawmaker told The Hill.
GOP leaders reportedly told members that they’ve gotten the number of Republican holdouts down to six — but not low enough to pass a GOP-only bill.
The clean CR would require support from ⅔ of the House, which means it would rely heavily on Democratic support.
Republicans considering votes to soften shutdown blow
House Republicans are considering votes today on bills to mitigate the effects of a shutdown, including on the FAA, troop pay and flood insurance.
Nothing is set in stone yet, and it’s unclear if they’ll make another attempt today at averting a shutdown.
GOP lawmakers are still in their conference meeting.
Shutdown impacts: air travel to taxes, national security to national parks
How would a government shutdown affect the lives of everyday Americans? Some benefits, like Social Security and those for veterans, go on unimpeded. But other services, such as assistance at the IRS or access to national parks, will come to a halt.
Federal employees who are deemed essential will need to work without being paid, while the rest are furloughed.
Click here for a look at different facets of federal government and what will happen if the government shuts down at midnight Sunday.
GOP conference is meeting
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has arrived at the Capitol but didn’t answer any questions on his way in.
The GOP conference is now meeting about possible paths forward.
ICYMI: In a shift, McCarthy floats a clean stopgap without Ukraine aid
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Friday evening floated passing a “clean” continuing resolution without Ukraine aid, marking a clear shift in the possibilities he is willing to consider to avert — or end — a shutdown after being repeatedly undercut by his own party.
The Speaker on Friday did not commit to putting such a measure on the floor, and other Republicans leaving a conference meeting said lawmakers are still exploring GOP-only possibilities to bring up for a vote on Saturday.
But it is clear that McCarthy has nearly exhausted his options for working exclusively within his own party. Earlier on Friday, 21 House Republicans voted against a 31-day GOP-crafted stopgap bill that included deep spending cuts and conservative border policy changes.
— Emily Brooks and Mychael Schnell
Embattled Congress lurches toward midnight shutdown
Congress is lurching toward a shutdown that would begin early Sunday morning, with House Republicans battling one another and the Senate moving forward with a bipartisan plan that Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has not committed to bringing to a vote in the House.
Senators are poised to vote Saturday afternoon on a bill to fund the government until Nov. 17. The legislation includes $6.15 billion for Ukraine and $6 billion for disaster relief.
McCarthy has drawn a line in the sand on Ukraine funding, and floated the idea Friday night of a “clean” measure that would not include funding for Ukraine.
— Alexander Bolton