Senators voted in the early hours of Aug. 8 to approve a government spending package through December in hopes of averting a government shutdown ahead of the November midterms.
The continuing resolution passed by a vote of 90-6, including a provision which would block a White House proposal to give political appointees authority to review and approve grants. Republican Sen. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations committee, led the charge on the provision, supported by Democrats and other Republicans.
Collins spoke on the floor ahead of the vote, urging colleagues to pass the legislation and adding that the provision would prevent the implementation of an Office and Budget Management rule which "could politicize grants and harm small,
rural communities and biomedical research."
"Senate passage of this continuing resolution would be a major step toward averting a damaging shutdown that could harm vital programs and throw the lives of federal workers into disarray," Collins said of the bill, which she described as bipartisan and supported by the Trump administration.
The House of Representatives still needs to pass the bill. Besides funding federal agencies through fiscal 2027, the legislation would also extend certain Veterans Affairs programs and transportation and highway authorities. It also preserves import trade incentives from some African countries.
Senators on both sides of the aisle worked to get the bill passed ahead of their August recess. With the November midterms approaching, lawmakers hope to prevent another government shutdown in the wake of the record-breaking 43-day closure just under a year ago. Senators stayed past 4 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8, to resolve the funding gap and pass the nomination of Todd Blanche as attorney general.
Those voting against the bill included members of both parties, including Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy and Rand Paul, Democrat Sens. Tim Kaine, Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Senate passes continuing resolution to fund government, avert shutdown
