A government shutdown was avoided late Saturday as a pared-down temporary funding package headed to President Joe Biden’s desk. In the end, the 1,500-page funding package, which had been packed with Democrat-driven spending was whittled down to 118 pages by the U.S. House, keeping the government open until March 14.
The continuing resolution was expected to be signed by Biden Saturday and the Office and Management and Budget put a hold on government shutdown preparations.
“In addition to preserving pay for our brave men and women in uniform, the continuing resolution I voted for tonight includes an important $110 billion disaster-relief package,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan. “My team and I worked hard to include language that will specifically help our communities dealing with serious natural disasters, like the devastating flood in Juneau and landslides in Southeast. That being said, I believe that the process by which these last minute government funding bills are negotiated is fundamentally broken. President Trump was right to call attention to the initial bill—1,500 pages, written behind closed doors, and released with just hours to review. In the new Congress, I will be pressing my colleagues for a return to regular order in crafting a budget, a process that will better serve Alaskans and all Americans.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski said, “There is never, ever a time when a government shutdown is a good thing for Americans or Alaskans. I’m relieved that cooler heads prevailed and a needless shutdown was avoided. Additionally, I was able to secure several critical provisions that will help Alaskans, including a desperately needed $300 million that will refill our fisheries disaster account, ensuring that our hardworking fishermen will have the support they need to get back on the water.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson had introduced a massive 1,547-page continuing resolution that had been negotiated with Democrats, but was given to Republican members with only hours for them to read it before voting on it. The conservative House members voted with the Democrats to kill it, and President Donald Trump, along with tens of thousands of people using the X social media site, condemned the entire process. For the first time in history, Americans had the ability to shape, in real time, a funding bill.
That public pressure, led by Elon Musk, who is in the Trump inner circle and has the role of rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse in government, resulted in a “skinny CR, that cut almost all Democrat demands. It passed the House late Friday afternoon, and passed the Senate on Friday night.
“This America First legislation delivers much-needed relief for Americans devastated by the hurricanes and our hardworking farmers, and it sets up President Trump to start delivering on DAY ONE,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson.
