President Joe Biden signed the Continuing Resolution approved by Congress on Saturday, ensuring the federal government will continue operating until March 2025. The bill, formally known as the American Relief Act, 2025, passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support in an 85-11 vote just after midnight, narrowly missing the Friday midnight deadline.
In a statement, President Biden emphasized the importance of the bill: “The bipartisan funding bill I just signed keeps the government open and delivers the urgently needed disaster relief that I requested for recovering communities as well as the funds needed to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted.”
The legislation allocates about $100 billion in disaster relief for communities impacted by storms Helene and Milton, and it also extends the Farm Bill, which includes key provisions supported by both Democrats and Republicans.
While the vote took place past the deadline, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget confirmed that it had “ceased shutdown preparations,” as Biden’s signature on the bill was expected on Saturday. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) celebrated the outcome, stating on X, “Though this bill does not include everything Democrats fought for, there are major victories in this bill for American families – emergency aid for communities battered by natural disasters, no debt ceiling, and it will keep the government open with no draconian cuts. The only way to keep the government open is through bipartisanship.”
The path to passage was fraught with challenges. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) initially introduced a lengthy 1,547-page bill, which faced fierce opposition from President-elect Donald Trump and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk due to the inclusion of several Democratic priorities. After discussions with Trump’s team, Johnson presented a shorter, 116-page version that incorporated a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling, a key demand from Trump. This version was also met with resistance, particularly from Democrats, leading to its failure to pass.
By Friday, Speaker Johnson introduced a final, scaled-back bill, which excluded the debt ceiling suspension. This version was approved by the House with a 366-34 vote before passing in the Senate.
While the final bill did not address Trump’s push for debt ceiling provisions, it succeeded in averting a government shutdown and securing disaster relief for those in need. Both Biden and Trump have not publicly commented on the final deal, though sources suggest Trump remains dissatisfied with the absence of debt ceiling measures.
