The U.S. Senate is set to vote Thursday on funding the federal government through early March, in a bid to avoid a partial shutdown that would begin Saturday morning.
The bill would fund some departments — including Agriculture, Transportation and Energy — through March 1, while the rest of the government including the Pentagon would be funded through March 8. Agencies are respectively funded through Friday and Feb. 2, and shutdowns would ensue without stopgap spending.
The measure is intended to give lawmakers time to pass spending bills worth $1.66 trillion that would fund the government through the fall.
“The Senate will act to pass a bill that will fund the government and avoid an unnecessary shutdown,” said Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer in a message on X. “This continuing resolution will give Congress time to continue working on the appropriations process to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year.”
The House of Representatives would need to follow suit on passing a bill. Given expected opposition from some Republicans, however, Speaker Mike Johnson will need help from Democrats in passing the stopgap bill.
From the archives (September 2023): What stock investors need to know about U.S. government shutdowns
