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Dec. 20 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden on Saturday morning signed the stop-gap funding bill, averting a government shutdown, after the Senate and House approved the measure. The upper chamber passed the short-term spending bill, 85-11, early Saturday. The no votes were all Republicans except independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
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Earlier on Friday, the House of Representatives approved the measure funding U.S. government operations through March, averting a pre-Christmas partial shutdown with just hours to spare.
Members passed the measure by a 366-34 margin, with 34 Republicans voting against it and one Democrat voting present.
Even with the Senate failing to do so before the midnight deadline and prompting a short government shutdown, the effects will be minimal and nothing in comparison to the widespread chaos and harm that would be felt were no stopgap funding measure reached by both houses of Congress.
"Though this bill does not include everything Democrats fought for, there are major victories in this bill for American families -- provide emergency aid for communities battered by natural disasters, no debt ceiling, and it will keep the government open with no draconian cuts," Major leader Chuck Schumer said.
Before the measure moved to the Senate from the House, it was accompanied by much political drama surrounding President-elect Donald Trump and his adviser, billionaire Elon Musk.
The third attempt to pass the measure in the House earlier in the evening did not include Trump's earlier demand to include a suspension of the federal debt limit, which drew united opposition from Democrats.
It did, however, contain disaster relief and aid to farmers, which were included in an initial version that was scuttled after Musk objected to its provisions.
In an early morning surprise, the Senate also unanimously passed a bill giving Washington, DC, control over the land around the defunct Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, and paving the way for a new stadium for the Commanders. The measure, which needs to be signed by the president was part of the initial government funding package in the House on Wednesday.
The Senate also unanimously reauthorized a pediatric cancer research initiative through the National Institutes of Health into 2028. The provision had been part of the stopgap funding deal.
Also, replacing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland will be fully funded by the federal government.
Lawmakers' first pay raise since 2009 also is not in the legislation after being in earlier versions.
The White House said Biden supports the latest version and will sign it into law.
After signing the bill, Biden said in a statement: "This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted. But it rejects the accelerated pathway to a tax cut for billionaires that Republicans sought, and it ensures the government can continue to operate at full capacity. That's good news for the American people, especially as families gather to celebrate this holiday season."
The clock had been ticking on a government shutdown after Republicans failed to pass the second version of funding bill late Thursday.
Speaking to reporters early Friday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said a "Plan C" would be forthcoming during the day, stating, "We've got a plan."
Johnson called the measure "important" and a "necessary step to bridge the gap to put us into that moment where we can put our fingerprints on the final decisions on spending for 2025" while urging its quick passage in the Senate.
House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, however, said his caucus succeeded at restoring the disaster aid and other provisions that had been stripped earlier.
"House Democrats have successfully stopped extreme MAGA Republicans from shutting down the government, crashing the economy and hurting working-class Americans all across the land," he told reporters.
A government spending bill requires two-thirds support from the House. Thursday's bill was voted down by a count of 174-235, with 38 Republicans voting against it along with all but two Democrats.
Thursday's bill had the support of Trump and Musk.
Musk vehemently opposed the initial bipartisan spending bill that included $100 billion for disaster relief and support for farmers on Wednesday, urging Republicans to "kill the bill." He unleashed dozens of posts on X pressuring Republicans to reject the bill that would have funded the government into March.
Before Friday's vote, Musk praised Johnson, writing in a post on X, "The Speaker did a good job here, given the circumstances. It went from a bill that weighed pounds to a bill that weighed ounces. Ball should now be in the Dem court."
Several Republicans who voted against the second version of bill on Thursday drew Trump's frustration, including Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. Trump threatened on social media that Republicans who oppose him on the spending bill will be voted out in primary elections.
Roy said Thursday that he is "happy to take the fire."
Jeffries called on Johnson to resurrect the initial bipartisan spending bill that Musk, and later Trump, shot down.
"The best path forward is the bipartisan agreement that was reached between House Republicans, House Democrats, Senate Republicans and Senate Democrats," he told reporters.
Trump encouraged Republicans to shut the government down while Biden is in office, not after he assumes office.
"If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after Jan. 20, under 'TRUMP,'" he posted on Truth Social. "This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!"
Trump had called on Congress to suspend the debt ceiling until at least 2029, after his term ends.
The division among House Republicans has been a fixture of the 118th Congress. It undid former Rep. Kevin McCarthy's time as House speaker as he led one of the most ineffective Congressional Assemblies in nearly a century.
The last time Congress passed a budget was Dec. 27, 2020, when Democrats had a majority in the U.S. House. Republicans had a majority in the U.S. Senate.
