Key Takeaways from Congress Passing Spending Package to Keep Government Funded

Congress narrowly avoids government shutdown with last-minute spending package

In a late-night session, Congress passed a spending package that will keep the federal government funded through Sept. 30, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown. The bill, which was passed after the midnight deadline, had no immediate effects on operations.

The Senate voted 74-24 to pass the bill around 1 a.m. Eastern Time, with President Joe Biden indicating he will sign it when it reaches his desk. The House of Representatives had passed the spending package earlier in the day.

This bill comes after four stopgap measures were passed to keep the government running, finally completing full government funding nearly six months after the start of the fiscal year. The funding covers 70% of the government, including key departments such as Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and State.

The passage of this bill highlights the ongoing struggle Congress faces in meeting budget deadlines. Appropriations bills are supposed to be passed by the beginning of the fiscal year in October, but this rarely happens. In fact, the last time the budget was passed on time was 27 years ago, and it has only happened four times since 1977.

While this bill may have been passed after the deadline, it is not the latest a federal budget has been approved. In 2017, appropriation bills were not passed in full until May.

Overall, the passage of this spending package is a relief for many, as a government shutdown would likely have had negative impacts on the U.S. economy. Working against shutdown deadlines has become the norm for Congress in recent years, highlighting the need for more efficient budgeting processes in the future.