Biden signs short-term funding bill to avert shutdown

President Joe Biden on Friday signed a short-term spending bill to push back the deadlines for a government shutdown and grant Congress additional time to complete a full budget.

"This bipartisan agreement prevents a damaging shutdown and allows more time for Congress to work toward full-year funding bills," he said, according to The Hill. "That's good news for the American people. But I want to be clear: this is a short-term fix — not a long-term solution."

The Senate approved the measure in a 77-13 vote on Thursday after the House did so in a 320-99 vote the same day. The bill pushes the deadlines to March 8 and March 22, splitting the 12 annual appropriations bills between both dates.

Congress in January approved a continuing resolution that set up deadlines of March 1 and 8. Complicating the process have been fierce internal Republican divisions over spending cuts.

Biden's signature means that the legislature has until next Friday to approve funding for the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Justice, Commerce, and Energy, as well as additional offices.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.