The House of Representatives is currently in the process of voting on a stopgap funding bill with the aim of avoiding a federal government shutdown, which looms just hours away from the midnight deadline. Should the bill pass in the House, it will then proceed to the Senate for further consideration.
The proposed bill seeks to extend government funding through March and includes provisions for disaster relief and farming. Notably, the bill does not incorporate a suspension of the debt limit, a matter that President-elect Donald Trump has been urging Republicans to address.
The current situation has arisen due to challenges faced by Republicans in finding a viable solution to prevent a government shutdown, particularly after Trump voiced opposition to an initial bipartisan agreement earlier in the week. Subsequently, the Republican-controlled House attempted but failed to pass a GOP funding plan endorsed by Trump, which would have entailed a two-year suspension of the debt limit.
