US Congress to vote on averting government shutdown

[WASHINGTON] Democrats introduced a short-term bill on Monday to fund the US government ahead of a potential shutdown next week, when federal agencies run out of previously allocated money.

Shutdowns typically lead to hundreds of thousands of government workers being sent home, while parks, museums and other federal properties and services are closed.

With funding running out on February 18, President Joe Biden's Democrats and opposition Republicans had been unable to agree on a "topline" number for the 2022 spending bills.

House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro introduced the stop-gap - known as a continuing resolution (CR) - that would keep the lights on through March 11.

"Our country needs a government funding agreement to create good-paying jobs, grow opportunity for the middle class, and protect our national security," she said.

"We are close to reaching a framework government funding agreement, but we will need additional time to complete the legislation in full." The March expiration date gives lawmakers the breathing space to reach a larger, long-term spending package to cover the rest of the fiscal year through September 30.

The House is expected to vote Tuesday and the Senate could take up the short-term funding patch as early as this week.

The parties have reportedly agreed to increase defence spending by US$25 billion, the amount called for in the annual defense authorisation bill that passed both chambers with strong bipartisan majorities.

Democrats want more than US$25 billion in additional funding for social programs, however, while Republicans counter that there should be parity in defense and non-defense spending.

It would be the third CR of Biden's presidency and Democrats are eager to get a full-year funding deal agreed, as the short-term fixes keep spending levels where they were under previous president Donald Trump. AFP