The US government avoided a federal shutdown after both the House of Representatives and the Senate agreed on a short-term funding deal, the BBC reports.
Capitol in Washington DCPhoto: HotNews.ro / Victor Cozmei
A bill that keeps the government funded until mid-November, but does not include any new aid for Ukraine, passed the Senate by 88-9.
The 45-day resolution was proposed by the president of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy.
Once enacted, it will avoid a disruption in federal services.
A shutdown, which would have sent tens of thousands of federal employees on unpaid leave and suspended various government services, was set to begin at 12:01 a.m. (04:01 GMT) on Sunday.
But in a dramatic reversal Saturday afternoon, House Republicans scrambled to pass a temporary funding measure that would keep the government open for another 45 days and make no major concessions on the level of expenses.
The measure was supported by more Democrats than Republicans, with as many as 90 Republicans voting against it.
The measure was a blow to a small group of right-wing Republicans who have blocked negotiations in the chamber with inflexible demands for spending cuts.
However, with most lawmakers keen to avoid a shutdown, one of the faction’s key demands – no more US funding to defend Ukraine against a Russian invasion – is reflected in the bill.
In a statement released shortly after the Senate vote, President Joe Biden said that “extreme Republicans in the House of Representatives” had tried to create a “manufactured crisis” and urged President McCarthy to allow a new deal to be passed without delay financing for Ukraine.
The House of Representatives voted 335-91 to fund the government until November 17.
