U.S. Congress Passes Critical Spending Bill to Avert Shutdown

The U.S. Congress passed a spending bill at the last minute, preventing a government shutdown. It extends funding until March and includes disaster aid. Despite initial setbacks due to Trump and Musk's opposition, the final version received bipartisan support, albeit with some contested provisions removed.

The U.S. Congress has successfully passed a critical spending bill in a down-to-the-wire session, a move that has narrowly prevented a potentially chaotic government shutdown ahead of the busy holiday travel season. Early Saturday, the Democratic-controlled Senate approved the bill with an 85-11 vote, just 38 minutes after the previous funding expired, ensuring no shutdown procedures were implemented.

The legislation, which now awaits President Joe Biden's signature, had earlier passed the Republican-led House of Representatives with bipartisan backing. This last-minute decision capped a tumultuous week, marked by an unexpected setback orchestrated by President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who criticized an initial bipartisan agreement, putting Congress in a complicated position.

Key elements in the bill include the extension of government funding until March 14, allocation of $100 billion for disaster-hit areas and $10 billion for farmers, along with continued farm and food aid. Absent from the final version were several provisions championed by Democrats, leading to criticisms of Republican concessions under pressure from an influential billionaire without government expertise.

(With inputs from agencies.)