Congress has passed a stopgap bill to keep federal agencies funded and workers at their desks through mid-November, with 209 Democrats and 126 Republicans in support. The bill includes $6 billion in aid to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian invaders, but House Republicans have agreed to give up their demands and not provide new aid. This is seen as a victory for the Trump administration, but is also a cause for concern as it may encourage Russian aggression.
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President Joe Biden signed a bill to fund the government just hours before the government was set to enter a technical shutdown, avoiding a shutdown and providing disaster relief funding. Members of both parties expressed relief, but the bill is likely to only delay, not resolve, future fights.
Jimmy Carter will celebrate his 99th birthday with his family on Sunday, a day earlier than planned to avoid potential disruption from a federal government shutdown. The celebration will take place in the same one-story structure where the Carters lived before he was first elected to the Georgia Senate in 1962. Carter was born in 1924 in rural Georgia, becoming the first future American president born in a hospital. His grandson Jason Carter reflects on the remarkable accomplishments of his grandparents and their commitment to their small hometown.
The Senate passed a bipartisan bill Saturday evening to keep the government funded for 45 days, just three hours before a midnight deadline. The bill, which was passed earlier by the House with a substantial bipartisan vote of 335-91, will keep the government funded at existing levels through November 17th and authorize additional disaster relief money. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law, preventing active-duty troops from not getting paid, travelers from experiencing airport delays, and millions of women and children from losing access to vital nutrition assistance.
Mayor David Mayfield of Marion, Kansas has suspended Police Chief Gideon Cody following a series of raids on August 11th, which included the office of the local newspaper, the Marion County Record, and the home of the city's Vice Mayor Ruth Herbel. The raids sparked criticism from press advocates and the Marion County Record released a statement expressing their concern for First Amendment rights. The suspension of Police Chief Cody is the latest development in this story, and it is unclear what further action, if any, will be taken by the city.
On Saturday, U.S. Capitol Police responded to a fire alarm pulled by Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York, causing an evacuation of the Cannon office building. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called for Bowman to be punished, comparing it to the Jan 6 rioters, and an investigation into what happened and why continues. Bowman has yet to comment on the incident, and it remains to be seen what the outcome of the investigation will be and how Bowman will be punished, if at all.
Five people have died and five more were hospitalized after a multi-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck carrying anhydrous ammonia in south central Illinois on Friday night. The semi-truck rolled over in a ditch, causing a toxic leak estimated to be 4,000 gallons. The cause of the crash is still under investigation and residents are being urged to avoid the area until the leak is fully contained.
Biden is out West raising money for his re-election campaign and delivering a speech about American democracy, while the House is putting a stopgap measure on the floor to keep the government open for 45 days. The president is focusing on his accomplishments as president, including his efforts to tackle the pandemic, rebuild the economy, and address climate change.