US Government Shutdown 2024: Congress Beats Deadline for Short-Term Funding, But More Challenges Await

The latest US government shutdown has been averted, which means hundreds of thousands of federal workers will still get paid. Federal government functions will still be working as Congress finally passed a stop-gap bill to prevent this latest shutdown from happening.

The stop-gap measure passed in the House of Representatives with bipartisan support, with an overwhelming 314-108 vote on Thursday afternoon. It also cleared the Senate overwhelmingly, with bipartisan support at a 77-18 vote earlier in the day.

"We have good news for America - there will not be a shutdown on Friday," said Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. "It's precisely what Americans want to see - both sides working together and governing responsibly. No chaos, no spectacle, no shutdown."

The new bill means that the funding remains at current levels for some government agencies until March 1, with some extending until March 8. This two-step deadline was originally conceived by House conservatives to avoid a massive omnibus spending bill to fund the government, per CBS News.

Despite wide Republican support for the bill, several far-right House Republicans still opposed the measure, even after House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana met with them. They reportedly attempted to add a border security amendment to the continuing resolution, raising concerns that the bill would not pass because of the far-right's demands.

With opposition from his far-right colleagues, however, Mike Johnson went to the Democrats to keep the government funded temporarily, as the Republican Party only has a razor-thin majority at the House, with several moderates voting with the Democrats.

Far-Right Republicans Not Happy With Deal Averting the Government Shutdown

Meanwhile, as many were able to make a huge sigh of relief, some conservatives criticized the proposal for a short-term funding extension, many coming from the ultra-conservative and far-right House Freedom Caucus.

"This is what surrender looks like," said the Republican group's account on social media. House Republicans have been divided over the short-term funding extension, with many toeing the line with Speaker Johnson while others, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, have been threatening to oust him.

According to CNN, Johnson still defended the bipartisan agreement, saying that the short-term spending bill "is required to complete what House Republicans are working hard to achieve: an end to governance by omnibus, meaningful policy wins, and better stewardship of American tax dollars."

What Happens If the Government Shuts Down?

When the government shuts down due to Congress not agreeing to a bill that would fund the government, federal agencies must discontinue all non-essential discretionary functions until new funding legislation is passed and signed into law, according to the Committee on Responsible Budget.

Several functions, such as border protection, in-hospital medical care, air traffic control, law enforcement, and power grid maintenance will continue to operate and will be funded via appropriations, as well as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. However, it will mean bad news for air travel as TSA agents would essentially be working without pay and National Parks will be closed. Environmental and food inspections will also be stopped, and several federal employees will not be paid.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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