Luke Skywalker
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.(Photo: Evan Vucci, AP)
WASHINGTON<span style="color: Red;">*</span>— Congress<span style="color: Red;">*</span>voted<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Wednesday<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to fund the government through Dec. 11 and avert a shutdown at midnight.
Lawmakers now have about 10 weeks to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>negotiate<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a longer-term budget solution to prevent another potential shutdown crisis in December.
"As we go forward, we'll have some difficult choices to make," said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "Let us take heed of the words of Pope Francis, who urged us to work together for the good of the people."
President Obama was set to sign the bill into law before the midnight deadline.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The 2016 fiscal year begins Thursday, and federal agencies would have had to furlough thousands of government workers if Congress had not reached agreement on a funding bill.
The last government shutdown, which went on for<span style="color: Red;">*</span>16 days<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in 2013, cost the U.S. economy about $24 billion, according to Standard & Poor's financial services company.
Senators acted first on Wednesday, voting<span style="color: Red;">*</span>78-20<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to approve the bill, which does not contain a controversial provision<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to strip funding from Planned Parenthood. The push<span style="color: Red;">*</span>by Republicans to defund<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Planned Parenthood had threatened to lead to a government shutdown, but GOP<span style="color: Red;">*</span>leaders decided to remove the measure from the bill after it became clear that Senate Democrats would continue to block it.
"The bill before us would keep the government open and allow time for cooler heads to prevail," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. The legislation simply extends current funding levels for government agencies and adds $700 million for fighting wildfires.
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Republicans try new way to defund Planned Parenthood, avoiding shutdown
The House voted 277-151<span style="color: Red;">*</span>for the funding bill. House members also passed<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a separate resolution to defund Planned Parenthood. However, that measure, approved by a vote of 241-185,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was largely symbolic since it will not be taken up by the Senate.
The battle over the divisive Planned Parenthood issue helped spur the resignation of House Speaker John Boehner, who was under fire from the right<span style="color: Red;">*</span>wing of his<span style="color: Red;">*</span>caucus to risk a shutdown rather than fund the nation's largest abortion provider. The Ohio Republican announced Friday that he will leave Congress on Oct. 30.
Boehner's decision made an immediate government shutdown less likely since the speaker no longer feels any need to appease<span style="color: Red;">*</span>GOP rebels. However, Boehner's departure leaves<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the next speaker to face another potential shutdown in December, when the temporary funding bill expires.
"That means within the coming weeks we will again be negotiating with Republicans to avoid another shutdown," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "Our constituents don’t want every simple legislative task to turn into a doomsday clock."
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., appears to be the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>leading candidate to become the next speaker. Boehner on Wednesday set the leadership elections for Oct. 8.
USA TODAY
Congress gears up for major budget talks with White House
Congressional<span style="color: Red;">*</span>leaders plan to meet<span style="color: Red;">*</span>with President Obama<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to try to set<span style="color: Red;">*</span>federal budget levels<span style="color: Red;">*</span>for 2016 and 2017 and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>prevent<span style="color: Red;">*</span>another shutdown.
McConnell told reporters Tuesday that he and Boehner<span style="color: Red;">*</span>have discussed the budget talks with Obama and expect them to begin "very soon."
Obama gave a backhanded compliment to congressional Republicans for "barely" avoiding the second government shutdown in two years.
"That's a somewhat low bar, but we should celebrate where we can," the president told a group of Democratic legislators gathered at the White House complex Wednesday.
The votes to keep the government open "demonstrate to the American people that Congress actually can govern," said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.
Contributing: David Jackson
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