House to vote on 3-month funding extension to avoid government shutdown
CBSSEP 12 2024
The US House and Senate on Wednesday passed a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded through Dec. 20, postponing a potential government shutdown.
The House voted 341-82 before the Senate approved the bill 78-18. All opposition votes were cast by Republicans.
Democratic Pres. Joe Biden was expected to sign the bill, which also provides the Secret Service $231M in additional funding — a bipartisan allotment that became a priority after two recent assassination attempts on former Pres. Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.
Once again Democrats proved their the lone party in Washington focusing on beneficial policy, while Republicans are determined to grind the government to a halt. This continues a yearslong pattern of Democrats saving Republicans from themselves just when it seems Republicans will drive the government into a wall. Hopefully, the American people will recognize this difference when they go to the election booth.
Some factions of the GOP may not like it, but this CR is the best way forward. The government should never needlessly be shut down, and this definitely wasn't the time to make a political statement with crucial programs, including ones related to national security, at risk. Luckily, enough Republicans came to their senses, and they can look forward to the November election providing guidance on how the government should be funded moving forward.
Once again, the spineless Republicans who may as well be part of a "uniparty" with the Democrats caved and agreed to let the country continue to spend at an unsustainable rate. The US needs to restrain its spending and it needs a sound, long-term financial plan, not these resolutions that keep kicking the can down the road and force legislators to make snap decisions.