President Joe Biden signed a temporary government spending bill to keep agencies operational until December, as Congress deferred key spending decisions until after the November election. The bill funds agencies at current levels through Dec. 20, potentially leading to a government shutdown fight close to the holiday season. In response to recent assassination attempts against Donald Trump, $231 million was allocated to bolster the Secret Service, along with additional funds for the presidential transition.

This bipartisan measure easily passed Congress with a vote of 341-82 in the House and 78-18 in the Senate. Notably, all the opposing votes came from Republicans in both chambers. House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized that the bill only tackles essential expenditures, addressing concerns within his party regarding spending levels. Johnson stressed that without the continuing resolution, a government shutdown would have been the only alternative.

This short-term solution was necessary because Congress has not made significant progress on the annual appropriations bills that typically fund the federal government. While the House has managed to pass five out of the 12 bills mostly along party lines, the Senate has yet to pass any. The agreement to push the decision of the spending bills until later this year reflects the ongoing gridlock and differences between the political parties in budget negotiations.