Just hours before the midnight deadline, Congress passed a stopgap bill, preventing a potential government shutdown. The measure was passed on Saturday, ensuring that federal agency funding did not run out.
According to CNN, the bill was passed by the Senate on Saturday evening following the House's approval earlier in the day. The bill now awaits President Joe Biden's signature to become law.
The bill ensures the government remains operational through Nov. 17 and includes natural disaster aid, along with a provision to ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration stays up and running. However, additional funding for Ukraine or border security was not included.
"Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans," President Joe Biden said in a statement. "This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. This is good news for the American people."
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced the stopgap proposal on Saturday morning, a move following weeks of discord among House Republicans. The proposal received a broad bipartisan vote in the House. Despite a possible threat to his Speakership from hardline conservatives, McCarthy defended his decision, stating, "There has to be an adult in the room. I am going to govern with what's best for this country."
Hardliners have indicated a potential vote to remove McCarthy as speaker, although the earliest this could happen would be Monday. A shutdown could have significant impacts across the country, affecting services ranging from air travel to clean drinking water.