House Passes Stopgap Bill to Prevent Shutdown Amidst Republican Division

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a stopgap bill to prevent a partial government shutdown. Despite internal Republican opposition, the bill maintains current government funding levels through Dec. 20. The measure now moves to the Senate and must be signed by President Biden before funding expires Monday.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a stopgap bill on Wednesday to avert a partial government shutdown. The bill, which passed by 341-82, maintains the current level of $1.2 trillion in annual discretionary funding through Dec. 20, thus avoiding the furloughing of thousands of federal workers just weeks before the Nov. 5 election.

Despite opposition from within his own party, House Speaker Mike Johnson utilized a parliamentary maneuver to bypass the House Rules Committee. The bill will now move to the Democratic-majority Senate for a vote and then to President Joe Biden for signing before current funding expires at midnight on Monday.

A significant number of House Republicans voted against the measure following Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's call for a shutdown unless controversial voting legislation was attached. Hard-right Republicans had pushed for a six-month stopgap measure with the election piece attached but failed to pass it last week.

(With inputs from agencies.)