The U.S. Senate put lawmakers one step closer to averting government shutdown by successfully passing the stopgap bill Thursday afternoon.
The vote will extend funding until Dec. 3, pending approval by the House, as Democrats continue to sort through Biden’s economic agenda.
The bill, which needed 60 votes to pass, was approved in a bipartisan vote of 65 to 35. Fifteen Senate Republicans, including minority leader Mitch McConnell, joined all 50 Senate Democrats in voting for the stopgap government funding bill.
The bill now needs the approval of the House, which is expected to pass the legislation later today. President Biden will then need to sign the bill before midnight to avoid a government shutdown.
Congress will need to approve a debt ceiling hike or suspension by Oct. 18 in order to avoid a default, which could result in the loss of millions of U.S. jobs.
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