US Congress Approves Government Funding Extension

The U.S. Congress successfully passed a spending bill on Saturday to avert a government shutdown, ensuring funding through March 14 and allocating $100 billion for disaster relief and $10 billion for farmers. This legislative effort followed a chaotic week influenced heavily by President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who opposed an initial bipartisan proposal, leading to legislative disarray. Ultimately, the Senate passed the bill with an 85-11 vote shortly after the midnight deadline, preventing a shutdown that could have impacted hundreds of thousands of federal employees during the holiday season. Speaker Mike Johnson faced challenges in maintaining party unity, with some Republicans opposing the final package for not cutting spending. Despite the last-minute success, the bill reflects ongoing tensions within the GOP and the influence of non-elected figures like Musk on legislative decisions. President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law, ensuring the government remains operational into the new year.