Senate passes stopgap bill to avoid shutdown in the 11th hour
The Senate passes a stopgap bill early Saturday after its passage in the House earlier Friday averting a government shutdown. The bill included disaster aid and relief for farmers but not a debt ceiling suspension requested by President-elect Trump.
Coverage for this event has ended.
The dome of the U.S. Capitol is seen on Dec. 20, 2024 in Washington, DC.
Senators voted to pass a new version of a stopgap spending bill early Saturday morning after the midnight deadline for a partial government shutdown came and went.
The Senate advanced the third version of a short-term spending bill, and it will now head to President Biden's desk, who has already signaled that he will sign it.
This comes after the House passed the short-term spending bill with 366 yes votes, surpassing the necessary two-thirds.
The White House earlier said the Office of Management and Budget had ceased government shutdown preparations due to confidence that Congress would imminently pass the relevant appropriations and President Biden would sign the bill on Saturday.
Since obligations of federal funds are incurred and tracked daily, agencies will not shut down and may continue normal operations.
Fox News' Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Washington Commanders Managing Partner Josh Harris lauded lawmakers who passed the Robert F. Kennedy Campus Revitalization Act overnight.
The bill would give the District of Columbia control of the 174-acre RFK campus and revive potential plans for a new Washington Commanders stadium.
The surprising move came after a provision in the initial continuing resolution (CR) -- to transfer control of the RFK campus from the federal government to the District -- was nixed from Thursday's slimmed down version of the bill.
The Senate passed the Robert F. Kennedy Campus Revitalization Act by unanimous consent among 100 senators.
"We are extremely grateful that our elected officials have come together on a bipartisan basis to give Washington D.C. the opportunity to decide on the future of the RFK stadium site," Harris said in a statement.
"This bill will create an equal playing field so that all potential future locations for the home of the Washington Commanders can be fairly considered and give our franchise the opportunity to provide the best experience for all of our fans."
The bill will now go to President Biden's desk to be signed into law.
Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., applauded the Senate for approving the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act.
The bipartisan legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk.
"The Senate’s passage of the D.C. RFK Stadium Campus Revitalization Act is a historic moment for our nation’s capital. If Congress failed to act today, this decaying land in Washington would continue to cost taxpayers a fortune to maintain," Comer said.
"Revitalizing this RFK Memorial Stadium site has been a top economic priority for the city, and I am proud to have partnered with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to get this bill across the finish line and to the President’s desk. This bipartisan success is a testament to the House Oversight Committee’s unwavering effort to protect taxpayers and our full commitment to ensuring a capital that is prosperous for residents and visitors for generations to come," he added.
The bill would transfer responsibility for the site of the stadium in Washington, D.C., from the Department of the Interior to the General Services Administration.Posted by Landon Mion
Live Coverage begins here