US Averts Shutdown as Trump Sets the Stage for His Presidency

The United States narrowly avoided a federal government shutdown this week after Congress passed a stopgap funding bill shortly after a midnight deadline.

President Joe Biden is expected to sign the legislation later today, ensuring minimal disruption to the country.

The bill extends government funding into March and includes provisions for disaster relief and farming, but it did not address the debt limit, which President-elect Donald Trump had tried to include.

The spending negotiations served as an early loyalty test for GOP lawmakers ahead of Trump's presidency.

Key figures in the incoming administration, including tech billionaire Elon Musk, also played a significant role in the process.

The Senate unanimously passed the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0, reauthorizing a pediatric cancer research initiative through the National Institutes of Health into 2028.

This provision was initially part of the stopgap funding deal but was dropped after Trump insisted on a "clean" short-term spending package.

The final bill, which extends government funding through March 14, excluded Trump's demand to raise the debt ceiling.

The House passed the bill with a vote of 366-34, and the Senate approved it 85-11 early Saturday.

The bill includes $100 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion in aid for farmers, but it is significantly smaller than the original proposal, which included healthcare expansion and a plan to lower prescription drug prices.