The US Congress avoids a government shutdown and approves a draft budget worth $1.2 trillion

United States – Early today, Saturday, the US Congress approved by a large majority a draft budget worth $1.2 trillion, which maintains government funding during the fiscal year that began 6 months ago, and sent it to President Joe Biden to sign it into law and spare the government a partial shutdown.

The approval came with a majority of 74 votes in favor and 24 against.

Funding for important federal agencies – including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, State and Treasury – will continue until next September 30 after the project is approved.

In the Senate with a Democratic majority.

Senate leaders spent hours yesterday, Friday, negotiating amendments to the draft budget, which were ultimately rejected.

The delay led to the deadline being missed, which was midnight on Friday.

But the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a statement saying that agencies would not be asked to close their doors, as it expressed confidence that the Senate would quickly approve the bill, which is what actually happened.

The leader of the Democratic majority in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, announced late yesterday evening, Friday, that Democrats and Republicans in Congress had reached an agreement to hold a vote to complete the federal budget for 2024 and avoid a government shutdown.

It is very common for an agreement to be reached in Congress at the last minute, especially on budget-related issues.

There would have been many consequences if the budget was not agreed upon and the state entered paralysis, including:

• Failure to pay the salaries of the army, security personnel, and public transportation employees
• It may lead to the cessation of the work of some departments
• Freeze some aid.

For several months, the United States has stumbled in the final adoption of the budget due to partisan differences between the camp of Democratic President Joe Biden and some Republicans who support adopting strictness in dealing with the budget.

The last time there was a partial federal government shutdown was during Donald Trump’s presidency, from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019.