Biden Signs Funding Bill Averting Shutdown; Congress Rejects Trump's Debt Demand

Dec 21, 2024, 05:01 PM

President Joe Biden signed a stopgap funding bill into law on Saturday, averting a government shutdown just days before Christmas. Congress passed the bill just past the deadline in a late-night vote, sending it to Biden's desk for signing. The legislation funds the government at current levels through March 14, 2025, and provides $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in agricultural assistance to farmers. The passage came after last-minute turmoil in Congress, with President-elect Donald Trump's intervention imperiling its passage. Congress ultimately rejected Trump's demand for a debt limit extension in the package, deferring future spending decisions into Trump's presidency.