Congress passes two-day funding bill to avoid gov’t shutdown

December 19, 2020 KV9610 US 0

WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 17: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) walks to the Senate floor at the U.S. Capitol on December 17, 2020 in Washington, DC. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor that, with a shutdown deadline looming at midnight Friday, weekend work in Congress is “highly likely.” (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 6:50 PM PT – Friday, December 18, 2020

Congress passed additional temporary funding to keep the government open for another two days. On Friday, both the House and Senate voted to give Congress more time to negotiate a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill.

#BREAKING
Congress averts a government shutdown after the Senate passes a two-day stopgap bill while COVID relief negotiations continue.

— Stephanie Myers (@_StephanieMyers) December 19, 2020

Lawmakers have been unable to reach a compromise on coronavirus-related matters, which is holding up progress on a federal spending package.

“I believe all sides feel we’re making good progress on a major relief bill that would travel with the full-year appropriations measure, but alas, we are not there yet,” Senate Majority Leader McConnell stated. “Given that, our urgent task is to pass the stopgap government funding measure. There’s no reason why the federal government funding should lapse while we hammer out our remaining differences.”

The American people have struggled heroically through this pandemic. They’ve already waited too long for more relief.

The Senate isn’t going anywhere until our bipartisan discussions reach an outcome for the American people.

— Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) December 17, 2020

To avoid a shutdown, President Trump will need to sign off on the continuing resolution by midnight on Sunday.

Lawmakers hope to move quickly on a deal for a larger $1.4 trillion long-term spending package. Additionally, senators on both sides of the aisle will continue to hash out a coronavirus relief package over the weekend.