Government shutdown 2024:In order to prevent a partial shutdown, the Senate strikes a deal to vote on government funding legislation

Government shutdown 2024: A last-minute agreement reached late on Friday night to vote on the government funding package saved the Senate from a partial government shutdown that was set to begin at midnight.

The Senate is expected to act to effectively prevent any lapse in funding or government functions, even though final passage is not anticipated until the wee hours of Saturday morning.

The Senate’s voting was postponed for hours due to discussions over a deal to expedite Senate passage, even though the House had already cast its vote earlier in the day. Republicans had demanded votes on controversial amendments that could put some vulnerable Senate Democrats in tough spots. The agreement included up to 12 amendment votes before final passage.

The day has been turbulent on Capitol Hill. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a fierce Republican who supports legislation, filed a motion to remove Johnson from the speakership as soon as the House voted to approve the bill that the Senate is debating. Although the resolution does not require immediate attention, it is the speaker’s most formal and forceful challenge to his leadership since he assumed office late last year. There were 22 Democrats and 112 Republicans who voted against the final House vote of 286–134.

A number of crucial government agencies are covered by the bill, including the legislative branch, the departments of state, defense, homeland security, labor, health and human services, and education.

Less than 48 hours remain before the deadline for a partial government shutdown, according to Schumer, who stated on Thursday that the legislative package’s text arrived “just in time.” “Now Congress must now race to pass this package before government funding runs out this Friday,” the Democratic leader continued. The Senate will require bipartisan cooperation after the House acts in order to pass the bill before Friday’s deadline and prevent a shutdown, the statement said, referring to the possibility that any one senator could impede the bill’s passage and cause a partial shutdown.

Following several months of using stopgap legislation to prevent shutdowns at the last minute, Congress finally approved a set of six bills in early March to fund a number of government departments for the remainder of the fiscal year.

The annual federal funding process, which has taken far longer than usual due to partisan policy differences and a historic change in House leadership following conservatives’ unprecedented vote to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year, must now be completed by lawmakers in order to fund the rest of the government.

Following McCarthy’s resignation, Johnson emerged victorious in the Senate but now faces a razor-thin majority and opposition from his right flank regarding his handling of the battle over government funding. With the House starting a two-week recess on Friday, Greene’s resolution to oust Johnson will hang over the GOP conference as it considers what to do next in the 118th Congress.

ALSO read: In a friendly match, River Plate unexpectedly lost 4-0 to Independiente Rivadavia

Johnson outlined the conservative gains in the package and praised the bill early on Thursday morning.

“By shifting the Pentagon toward a focus on its core mission and increasing support for our courageous men and women who serve in uniform, this FY24 appropriations legislation is a serious commitment to strengthening our national defense,” Johnson said in a statement.

Progressives and far-right members of the House criticized the legislation for different reasons as they sparred over the agreement on Thursday.

Republican Representative Chip Roy of Texas told CNN that leadership “owns the bill” and that he will not support any other Republicans who vote in favor of it, calling it a “failure.”

ALSO READ := In a friendly match, River Plate unexpectedly lost 4-0 to Independiente Rivadavia

He said to CNN’s Manu Raju, “I would have a very difficult time doing that.” “If this bill passes, the Republican conference is a failure.”

Progressive members of the House have also expressed disapproval, with some saying they will vote against it due to provisions that would halt funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees for a year due to allegations that UNRWA staff members were involved in the attack against Israel on October 7.

Though many Republicans have made it clear they do not want another speaker’s race following the severe infighting and chaos caused by McCarthy’s removal, Johnson’s fate has raised questions about whether he could face a similar threat to his speakership.

The Food and Drug Administration, military construction, and other federal programs were all funded by the separate six-bill funding package that President Joe Biden signed into law earlier this month. It also included funding for the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Interior, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development.

ALSO read: In a friendly match, River Plate unexpectedly lost 4-0 to Independiente Rivadavia