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.
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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.
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.
The U.S. government is facing a potential shutdown this weekend after the House of Representatives rejected a measure backed by Speaker Kevin McCarthy. White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients said President Joe Biden has no plans to talk to McCarthy, and a group of hard-right Republicans have refused to vote on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded. The White House has urged Congress to pass a short-term deal to keep the government funded and avoid a shutdown.
Couples in Washington D.C. are rushing to the marriage bureau to get their wedding licenses in anticipation of a looming government shutdown. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said the Senate's proposed continuing resolution is unlikely to pass in the House, and Telaya Charles, who works at the marriage bureau, said it was busier than a normal Wednesday with couples talking about the shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has urged the House to pass the bipartisan measure to fund the government, but it remains to be seen if Congress will be able to avoid a shutdown.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy is facing an insurrection from hard-right Republicans, and the House is set to vote on a package of bills that includes $6 billion in aid to Ukraine and $6 billion in emergency FEMA funding. The Senate will begin voting Tuesday evening, but it is uncertain if the chamber can pass the bill before the Sunday deadline.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) praised former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for her leadership, while expressing doubts about current Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) amidst the looming shutdown crisis. Burchett believes Pelosi was more successful in her leadership than McCarthy has been, and that McCarthy has not been able to provide the necessary leadership to keep the caucus together and prevent a shutdown.
The Senate has confirmed Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the nation's top military officer, in a move that is necessary to confirm Biden's nominees and ensure the Pentagon is adequately funded. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Wednesday night that the House will vote again on the $826.2 billion defense bill, and the House plans to move forward with the Department of Defense bill and then a number of other appropriation bills. It remains to be seen whether the House will be able to pass the defense bill and avert a government shutdown in 10 days.