WASHINGTON -- With a government shutdown narrowly avoided Friday night, the House and Senate sent a funding bill to President Joe Biden's desk.
An initial bipartisan deal was tanked earlier this week by President-elect Donald Trump and his ally, Elon Musk. Then on Thursday night, the House failed to pass a revamped plan that included Trump's explosive demand that the debt limit be extended.
Under the proposal, the 118-page bill contains most of the provisions that were put in place in the bipartisan bill that was agreed to on Wednesday. The bill includes $100 billion for disaster aid, $30 billion for farmers and a one-year extension of the farm bill, provisions that were under heavy debate prior to this week's votes.
The new legislation is a short-term extension that funds government through March 14, 2025.
It does not address the debt limit in the legislative text, which was a key demand from President-elect Donald Trump.
It also includes $100 billion for disaster aid; $30 billion for farmers; and a one-year extension of the farm bill.
The House of Representatives passed the two-thirds majority to pass the funding bill to avert a federal shutdown tonight. The bill, which funds the government until March, will head to the Senate.
Billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk posted a statement on X that he supports the current funding deal that is being voted on.
"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," said Musk, who threatened GOP members two days ago.
Prior to the start of voting on the new funding bill, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed approval of the removal of the debt limit provision.
"What needed to come out of the bill has come out of the bill, and now we've got to evaluate the four corners of what remains in the legislation," he said.
Pressed by ABC News' Jay O'Brien if that means Democrats should vote for it, Jeffries waffled.
"That's what we're going to discuss," the New York congressman said. "But the reckless effort to remove the ability for the American people to have a real discussion in terms of fiscal responsibility by trying to jam a debt ceiling suspension into the legislation at the eleventh hour was not sustainable."
The House has begun voting on a funding bill that would prevent a government shutdown. The vote needs a two-thirds majority to pass.
