Joe Biden signs temporary funding bill that prevents a shutdown before the election

US President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a temporary government spending bill that keeps agencies operational through December, after Congress postponed key spending decisions until after the November election.

The bill generally funds agencies at current levels through Dec. 20, creating the prospect of a government shutdown fight just before the holiday season. Lawmakers agreed to add $231 million to bolster the Secret Service after two assassination attempts on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Money was also added to help with the presidential transition.

The measure easily passed Congress on Wednesday on a bipartisan basis, 341-82 in the House and 78-18 in the Senate, with Republicans providing all the no votes in both chambers.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called the measure “only what is absolutely necessary,” a statement aimed at members of his own conference concerned about spending levels. Johnson said the only alternative to proceeding with the resolution at this stage would have been a government shutdown.

The temporary measure was necessary because Congress is nowhere near completing work on the dozen annual appropriations bills that fund much of the federal government. The House passed five of the 12 bills, mostly along partisan lines. The Senate has passed zero.

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