Stopgap passage keeps government open through Sept. 30

A bill agreeing to a continuing resolution to avert a shutdown and fund the U.S. government through the end of the fiscal year, passed the Senate 54-to-46 on Friday afternoon March 14  and was signed by President Donald Trump.

A measure to allow the measure to proceed to a floor vote and the final vote itself occurred after Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Thursday he would vote for the six-month funding bill. Schumer said supporting the continuing resolution would be less harmful than a shutdown. Without the stopgap measure a partial government shutdown would have started Saturday March 15 at 12:01 a.m. During a shutdown, Trump would have a freer hand to furlough government workers, Schumer said.

While the turn of events did not sit well with most of his fellow Democrats, who voted against the CR, in the end the bill passed, keeping the government open through the end of fiscal 2025 on Sept. 30.

The CR in House Resolution 1968 funds most programs at fiscal 2024 levels.