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Biden signs government funding law, averting shutdown crisis

Biden signs government funding law, averting shutdown crisis

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed a government funding bill Saturday, officially averting a shutdown crisis after Congress passed the bill.

The package funds the government at current levels through March 14 and includes $100 billion in disaster relief and a one-year farm bill. It did not include an extension of the debt limit called for by President-elect Donald Trump.

The Senate passed the funding bill overnight Saturday, shortly after the House passed the bill. The Senate vote was 85-11 and the House vote was 366-34.

The White House said in a statement that the bill had been signed, but Biden had not yet commented publicly after the announcement.

On Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden supported the bill, which ultimately passed Congress.

“While it doesn’t include everything we sought, it does include the President’s requested disaster relief for communities recovering from the storm, eliminates the fast track to a tax cut for billionaires, and would ensure the government continues to operate at full capacity Capacity can work,” Jean-Pierre said in Friday’s statement.

The bill’s signing caps a chaotic few days that began when Trump and his ally Elon Musk publicly opposed the original bipartisan agreement, effectively scuttling it.

When the two men spoke loudly against the deal, Republicans in Congress were quick to voice their criticism.

However, Trump also called on Republicans to extend or eliminate the debt ceiling, a demand that did not make it into the final bill.

Earlier this week, Trump threatened a primary election for Republicans who opposed his push to extend the debt limit. However, Republicans still overwhelmingly supported the final bill.

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