Biden Signs Bill Extending Government Spending Hours Before Deadline

President Joe Biden signed a short-term stopgap bill on Thursday to extend government spending through Dec. 3, hours ahead of a potential government shutdown. The measure passed in the Senate with bipartisan support, 65-35, after Democrats removed a proposal to raise the country’s debt ceiling. The bill will maintain federal agencies' spending, provide $28.6 billion to communities that are rebuilding from recent natural disasters, and allocate $6.3 billion to assist Afghan refugees establish new lives in the US. The House passed the bill with a 254-175 vote later Thursday ahead of the midnight deadline. Lawmakers will now shift their focus towards suspending the debt ceiling and subsequently avoiding a government shutdown before Oct. 18, a motion that was blocked by Senate Republicans on Monday.

Coverage was prominent across the political spectrum. Some left-rated outlets highlighted the Republicans who voted agaist it; some center- and right-rated outlets framed the Senate and Hosue votes as bipartisan. Left-rated voices remained critical of Senate Republicans who are "refusing to give the majority party any of the votes needed to move ahead on a bill to avert a first-ever federal default." Right-rated outlets were more likely to emphasize how Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) "applauded the clean legislation," but doubled down on his claim that "Republicans will not assist Democrats in raising the debt ceiling." Updated at 10:08pm ET 9/30/21 with news of Biden's signature.