US House Passes Additional Temporary Budget Bill...Shutdown Crisis Averted

Passed with Democratic Party support... Smooth Senate approval expected

On the 14th (local time), three days before the federal government's temporary budget runs out, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an additional temporary budget to be used through January and February of next year to prevent a shutdown.

On the same day, the House held a plenary session and voted on the second-stage temporary budget plan unveiled by Speaker Mike Johnson on the 11th, passing it with 336 votes in favor and 95 against. Among the Republicans, 93 hardline members opposed it, and two Democrats also joined the opposition, but they could not block the passage of the budget.

This budget plan was led by House Speaker Johnson, a Republican. The budgets for departments such as Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Agriculture, Housing, and Energy are authorized for use until January 19 next year, while budgets for Defense, State, and other departments are authorized until February 2 next year.

The plan does not include the large-scale budget cuts opposed by the Democrats. It also excludes the Ukraine and Israel package support budget and the budget for strengthening border control, on which the two parties have struggled to reach an agreement.

Speaker Johnson secured the passage of the temporary budget in the House, the biggest hurdle in the process, based on broad support from Democrats aiming to prevent a federal government shutdown. The responsibility now shifts to the Senate, where the Democrats hold the majority. Since the bipartisan leadership in the Senate has expressed support for the temporary budget, its passage in the Senate is also expected. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, stated, "We will pass this bipartisan budget as soon as possible."

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the temporary budget as soon as it passes the Senate. Initially, the White House was opposed to this temporary budget but later shifted to acceptance.

Accordingly, the federal government will be able to avoid the shutdown crisis on the 17th, when the first temporary budget is fully exhausted.

Speaker Johnson emphasized, "Saving us from a shutdown and keeping the government running is a matter of conscience, and we all owe it to the American people," adding, "When there is a minority and majority, some issues must be bipartisan."

Speaker Johnson now faces the task of negotiating with the White House and the Democrats over next year's main budget. Hardliners within the Republican Party are demanding large-scale cuts to the federal government budget for next year. Therefore, there remains a possibility that Speaker Johnson will clash again with the White House and Democrats during the main budget negotiations next year.

Within and outside the Republican Party, it is predicted that Speaker Johnson will not follow in the footsteps of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and be ousted. However, Johnson must resolve the divisions within the Republican Party surrounding this budget passage and is expected to face internal opposition during the upcoming main budget negotiations next year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.