Congress Passes Bill Averting Government Shutdown

Congress passed a bill extending government funding through Dec. 3, sending the legislation to President Biden’s desk hours before current funding expires and completing one of several pressing measures before lawmakers.

Both the House and Senate provided bipartisan support for the bill, which also includes $28.6 billion in emergency disaster aid and $6.3 billion to help resettle Afghan evacuees. The bill passed 65-35 in the Senate, and 254 to 175 a few hours later in the House.

Mr. Biden must sign the bill before midnight to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Democrats had initially sought to attach a suspension of the debt ceiling to the funding bill, but Republicans have refused to vote to increase the government’s borrowing limit, tanking that effort in the Senate.