After the House of Representatives, the US Senate also gave the green light for the emergency budget. It was done with 88 votes in favor and 9 against. President Joe Biden signed the emergency budget on Saturday night, before the deadline. This means that the shutdown is temporarily avoided.
The vote in the Senate was delayed because Democratic Senator Michael Bennet obstructed, many American media wrote earlier. Bennet is reportedly unhappy that the current version of the deal does not include more aid for Ukraine. Democrats in the House of Representatives previously reluctantly supported the Republican bill by Kevin McCarthy, the leader of the US House of Representatives.
The Senate must approve the emergency budget before midnight local time (6 am Belgian time), otherwise a shutdown will follow. This means that civil servants will no longer be paid and public institutions will have to close their doors.
Now that the emergency budget has been approved, Congress and the government have an additional 45 days to agree on a new budget.
Former President Donald Trump previously called on Republicans in Congress to push through the shutdown. “This is the last chance to stop funding political persecution against me and other patriots,” the Republican wrote on his own messaging platform ‘Truth Social’.
Fire alarm problem
Earlier, the vote in the House of Representatives was also delayed when Democrat Jamaal Bowman sounded the fire alarm. His chief of staff said it was an “accident”, though Republicans want to investigate.
Republicans believe Bowman set off the fire alarm with the intention of delaying the vote. Democrats have previously indicated they don’t have enough time to review the emergency budget. “This will not go away without punishment. It’s a disgrace,” said Kevin McCarthy, the Republican speaker of the House.
In a written statement, Bowman said he set off the fire alarm because he “mistakenly thought it would open a door.” He added that he “did not try in any way to delay the vote.” “I’m just in a hurry to vote.”
A little later, the House gave the green light to the emergency budget, after which the Senate did the same.
