Sep 25, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Senate averts government shutdown

Stef W. Kight

Sens. Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stand for a group photo with NATO leaders on Capitol Hill on July 10, 2024. Photographer: Allison Bailey/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In one of their final leadership rodeos, Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) successfully passed a clean, temporary spending measure to avert a government shutdown — at least until December.

Why it matters: A majority of Republicans joined the chamber's Democrats in supporting the legislation, despite former President Trump's demands for election security measures.

The vote was 78-18.
It passed the House earlier Wednesday, 341-82, with 209 Democrats and 132 Republicans voting for it.

What to watch: Congress will not be back in session until after the Nov. 5 election.

Then, the harder fight to fully fund the government will begin without the election year concerns around a shutdown.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has already promised not to allow a December omnibus — nor minibuses, which will make the lame duck task even more difficult.

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Senate averts government shutdown

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