House passes funding bill to avoid government shutdown before election

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks to media after the House passed a continuing resolution to fund the government, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. (Photo by Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA)

The U.S. House of Representatives recently voted to extend government funding, a move aimed at averting a potential government shutdown. A total of 341 house members voted in favor of the measure, including 132 Republicans, a majority of the caucus. Only 82 members voted against HR 9747, all Republicans.

This vote typically comes in the form of a continuing resolution (CR), which allows the government to maintain its current funding levels for a set period, giving lawmakers more time to negotiate longer-term spending deals.

In the recent vote, the House passed the measure to keep the government operational and avoid disruptions to federal services, including agencies like the Department of Defense, Health and Human Services, and more. These extensions are crucial in ensuring that essential government functions continue while Congress negotiates broader budgetary issues.

This vote is part of ongoing negotiations between Democrats and Republicans over federal spending, including debates over defense spending, social programs, and debt management. Temporary funding measures like this are often necessary when Congress can't reach an agreement on a full-year budget by the end of the fiscal year.

The passage of this measure now moves to the Senate for further approval, and once passed by both chambers, it will be sent to the President for signature to prevent a government shutdown.