Congress Narrowly Avoided Another Federal Government Shutdown
Article by Saja Hassan, TPT Staff Writer
The United States was preparing for a government shutdown for over a week, anticipating its occurrence on September 30, 2023, as Congress had failed to reach an agreement on spending for the new fiscal year, beginning October 1,2023. Because of the Antideficiency Act, all federal spending must go through Congress. When Congress fails to enact the 12 appropriations bills, federal business must shutdown all non-essential functions until action is taken.
On September 30th, President Biden signed the bipartisan deal created by House Speaker McCarthy to ensure government funding until Nov. 17, 2023, just 45 days before a government shutdown was to go into effect. The Senate approved the bill about three hours before the midnight deadline in a 88-9 vote. No Democratic senators voted against the measure, with all nine no votes from Republicans. This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to healthcare, and much more. “This is good news for the American people,” says Biden in an interview with CBS.
The House passed the bill by a 335-91 margin, with 90 republicans and one democrat voting against the bill. Although he was able to successfully avert the shutdown, Speaker McCarthy also risked his position at the House, and was successfully ousted, with Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz led the effort. For the first time in history, a party has just fired its own speaker of the House in the middle of a term. The House passed the bill by a 335-91 margin. When House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced that he would try to push the short-term funding bill through the House with Democratic help, this put his speakership at risk.
A major debate among the parties is support for Ukraine. Funding for Ukraine was sought out by Democrats but opposed by many Republicans. In President Biden’s statement, he addressed the absence of Ukraine, saying “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."
As of the most recent updates, the status of federal funding remains uncertain, reflecting the ongoing political barriers in Washington. Kevin McCarthy’s downfall as speaker is the latest sign of the GOP’s drift toward radicalism. He lost his job because a group of hard-right House members were furious with him for conducting policy negotiations that are inherent to democratic governance. The new speaker, after a contentious battle is Mike Johnson, a radical republican, who now possesses tremendous power to determine the future direction of the GOP. This also has significant implications for the legislative agenda and the ability of Congress to address critical issues, including federal funding.
As the nation awaits further developments on federal funding and the implications of the Republican Party's internal struggle, it remains imperative for policymakers to remember the importance of compromise and constructive dialogue in upholding the principles of democratic governance and serving the best interests of the American people.