US Congress passes stopgap bill minus Trump's debt ceiling; President-elect says let shutdown 'begin now'

To keep the government running, the US Congresson Friday (Dec 20)passed a stopgap bill,narrowly avoiding a looming shutdown. After weeks of tense negotiations that went down to the wire, the Congress passed the bill a few minutes after the midnight deadline had already expired. To do this,senators dropped normal procedure to fast-track the package to a vote, halting government shutdown preparations and saving Christmas for more than 800,000 workers at risk of being sent home without pay.

Earlier the same day,the House of Representatives had passed the billwith just hours left before federal operations were set to grind to a halt.The measure was passed with rare bipartisan backing, managing to keep the lights on for a few more months.

US House pushes funding lifeline

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Although Republicans control the House, their internal divisions forced them to rely on Democrats to avert a shutdown.

The bill, which extends government funding through mid-March, passed with the help of almost all Democrats, even as 34 from the Republican Party voted against it.

Senior Democrat Bennie Thompson framed the vote as a victory for unity, and said on X, "Today, Democrats stood firm in our commitment to collaboration, not division. The American people deserve a government that works for them."

What changed from Thursday's Trump-backed bill?

The bill, as per AFP news agency, includes $110 billion for disaster relief and agricultural aid but omits a contentious two-year suspension of the debt ceiling demanded by President-elect Donald Trump.

Elon Musk, Trump's incoming "efficiency czar," meanwhile questioned the bill on X.He asked: "So is this a Republican bill or a Democrat bill?"

Even with a shutdown looming, Trump, has not wavered in his stance, openly advocating for a shutdown if he does not get his way.

In a fiery post on Truth Social, he said, "If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration."

(With inputs from agencies)