The United States Congress approved this Thursday a new
budget extension
to avoid an administrative closure or "shutdown" before the funds currently available are exhausted until midnight on Friday.
The House of Representatives approved the budget proposal with
314 votes in favor and 108 against
, exceeding the two-thirds that the measure required.
He did so shortly after the Senate also gave its approval with 77 votes in favor and 18 against.
In the House of Representatives, the extension faced opposition from half of the Republicans (106 votes against to 107 in favor), who criticized that their leadership in that chamber continues to give air to
Joe Biden
's government with these extensions.
"It doesn't matter who's sitting in the House Speaker's chair or who has the majority, we're still doing
the same stupid things
," protested conservative Chip Roy.
His colleague Eli Crane also took aim at the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, for having agreed to the extension with the Democrats: "Our president, Johnson, said he was the most conservative president we have ever had. However, here we are presenting this project of law this afternoon
without conservative policies
.
Congress's decision prevents an administrative shutdown of Joe Biden's government.
Photo EFE
In November of last year, Congress had approved the last budget extension that also avoided an imminent administrative closure with two expiration dates, January 19 and February 2, which at that time seemed very far away.
Johnson announced earlier this month that there was an agreement between Democrats, Republicans and the White House to approve the budget for fiscal year 2024 (which began on October 1, 2023) and avoid new extensions, but he did not have time to process it.
The new budget extension also has two expiration dates ranging from
March 1 to March 8
.
"We need a little more time on the calendar to allow that process to develop," said Johnson, who had pledged in November not to promote or approve new extensions.
A decision that divided the Republican Party
In addition to the legislative process to be followed, the agreement agreed upon and announced by Johnson faces internal opposition from a sector of the Republican Party, which as evidenced in this Thursday's vote is divided.
The balance within the Republicans is very weak and a minority sector already brought down their previous leader, Kevin McCarthy, in October of last year, as a result of a budget agreement with the Democrats.
Chip Roy (left), one of the toughest Republicans in the United States.
Photo Brandon Bell/Getty Images/AFP
The approval of the extension did not satisfy the majority of Democrats either, despite the fact that the Senate majority leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, congratulated himself for having managed to get legislators from both parties to work "late into the night." " on Wednesday to avoid administrative closure.
"We have good news for the United States: there will be no shutdown on Friday. As both parties have worked together, the Government will remain open. Services will not be interrupted,
we will avoid an unnecessary disaster
," he assured.
His number two, Dick Durbin, however, expressed his discontent: "It is disappointing that the best we can do is 'keep the lights on' when we fund the government. We should address issues that are important to the American people, not drop the ball on the air once again."
Every time an administrative closure is less than a week away, the White House activates a protocol to prepare all its departments.
The closure means sending hundreds of thousands of public employees home without work or pay and the paralysis of many services.
Source: EFE