U.S. Congress passes government funding package to avoid shutdown

Washington [US], March 9: The U.S. Congress on Friday approved a bundle of six bills to finance certain sections of the federal government until September, narrowly sidestepping a potential partial shutdown.
The U.S. Senate voted 75 to 22 Friday night to approve the package, which cleared the House earlier this week. The bill now heads to President Joe Biden's desk for signing.
The latest measure to keep the government funded covers agriculture, energy and the environment, housing, transportation, veterans and the Justice Department through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.
Lawmakers recently approved stopgap funding measures to prolong the deadlines of March 1 and March 8 until March 8 and March 22, buying Congress more time to craft annual spending bills.
"Today's bipartisan agreement gives us momentum and space to finish the remaining appropriation bills by March 22," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said ahead of the vote.
Congress has another two weeks, until March 22, to pass the six remaining spending bills required for the complete funding of the government for the same period.
Since the start of fiscal year 2024 on Oct. 1, 2023, Congress previously approved stopgap funding measures in September 2023, and November 2023, as well as in January and late February.
Source: Xinhua