The house of Representatives in the United States approved an emergency financing measure, a key step in postponing the impending paralysis of the federal administration (“closing”).
The approval came after the Republican speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy made a last attempt to avoid paralysis, but it could only be approved with the support of the Democrats.
The text is approved by 335 votes in favor (91 against) and now must go to the Senate. It is expected that the administration will continue to receive funds during the 45 days.
If he SENATE disagree with this, the world’s largest economy will operate at a slower pace from Sunday: 1.5 million civil servants They will not be paid, air traffic will be disrupted and many public services will not be taken care of.
Neither is he SENATE controlled by the Democrats, nor by house of Representatives which is controlled by Republicans, still managed to pass a bill to extend the federal budget that expires this Saturday at midnight.
The move was approved at the initiative of McCarthy and known as “stop gap” which will allow the government to continue funding for 45 more days, but without any aid to Ukraine; a major point of contention for Democrats.
“I’m asking Republicans and Democrats to put aside their political differences. Think about the American people,” he said McCarthy on the Saturday before the vote.
Ukraine in balance
And this budget crisis has a direct impact on the war in Ukraine.
The White House initially requested that the budget approved by representatives include $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid for kyiv.
Aware of the political problems of his great American ally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky went to Congress last week to try to convince Washington to help him cross the “finish line” against Russia.
But the allocation of such a large sum of money to Ukraine appears to be highly uncertain, given the direction of the negotiations.
Some of the Trumpist Republicans refused to open any new aid to kyiv, believing that these funds should be allocated to the immigration crisis in the United States.
Those lieutenants of Donald Trump, who have disproportionate power due to the very thin Republican majority in the House of Representatives, have already brought the United States to the brink of a political and financial cliff four months ago by raising the ceiling in debt.
Trump, who could face Biden in next year’s presidential election, ordered his congressmen to “paralyze” the federal government unless Democrats agree to “all” of his budget demands.
For Biden there is no doubt: the ball is in the court of the Republicans in the House of Representatives.
“There are those in Congress today who are sowing so much division that they are ready to paralyze the government tonight. This is unacceptable,” the Democratic president wrote on Saturday on X, formerly Twitter.
“Closing” in 2018
Elected at the cost of several negotiations with the Trumpists, McCarthy risked his seat this time. “You know what, if I have to risk my job to protect the American people, I will,” he said Saturday. And he added: “If someone wants to fire me because I want to be the adult in charge of the room, try them.”
During Trump’s presidency, the United States experienced the longest “shutdown” (shutdown of the federal government) in 2018. According to various estimates, the US GDP lost more than 3 billion dollars.
A few hours before the deadline, the United States is preparing for a new shutdown of public services. Officials were briefed Thursday on the upcoming situation.
Most of America’s national parks, such as Yosemite or Yellowstone, will remain closed. Severe disruption to air traffic is also expected.
Likewise, food aid beneficiaries can also be disadvantaged.
