United States House Votes to Avoid Shutdown
The US hosue following a compromise between Democrats and Republicans passes spending bill in order to avoid shutdown
Following a compromise between Democratic and Republican leadership, the United States House voted to avoid a shutdown on their third attempt to reach a deal. This followed legislation that was rejected by factions of House Republicans and openly criticized by President-Elect Donald Trump.
The spending bill passed with 366 votes in favor, 34 against, and 29 abstentions. Of those who opposed, 34 were Republicans, and one Democrat voted "present." The House had previously rejected a compromise deal reached between Democratic and Republican leadership to avert a shutdown until March, after a public rejection by President-Elect Donald Trump and his advisor Elon Musk, who posted over 150 times on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) against the continuing resolution.
The 1,500-plus-page piece of legislation includes wide-ranging measures addressing disaster relief, economic support, national security, and domestic priorities. It allocates $100 billion for disaster recovery, including $21 billion for farmers, and funds the reconstruction of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge. Farmers will receive $10 billion in direct aid tied to federal agricultural programs, addressing outdated subsidies. A controversial provision allows a 3.8% salary increase for lawmakers, sparking criticism of self-dealing.
The bill broadens restrictions on U.S. investments in Chinese technologies linked to military and surveillance uses. It also allocates $500 million for child care, split between increasing access and renovating disaster-damaged facilities. Additional measures include year-round E15 ethanol sales, $25 million for Supreme Court justice security, ticket price transparency, and transferring control of RFK Memorial Stadium to D.C. Other provisions criminalize nonconsensual intimate depictions, regulate pharmacy benefit managers to lower drug costs, and allow lawmakers to opt into traditional federal health plans. Lastly, it tasks the assistant secretary of commerce with promoting U.S. music tourism.
