House Passes Bill to Avert Shutdown, Faces Senate Test

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to avoid a government shutdown, despite President-elect Trump's push for additional debt authorization. The legislation, which extends funding until March, provides billions for disaster relief, but omits a debt ceiling hike. Senate approval is required to prevent disruptions.

In a significant move to avert a government shutdown, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed a crucial funding bill on Friday. This action defies President-elect Donald Trump's demand to authorize additional trillions in new debt.

The bill, slated to extend government funding until March 14, aims to provide $100 billion for disaster-affected states and $10 billion for farmers. However, it does not address the controversial debt ceiling issue that Trump has pushed for before his inauguration on January 20.

Despite potential benefits, a government shutdown looms if the Democratic-controlled Senate does not approve the legislation. A shutdown could disrupt key functions and economic activities, particularly affecting law enforcement and airlines. The bill mirrors a previous bipartisan effort, heavily criticized by Trump and his business advisor Elon Musk for including unrelated provisions.

(With inputs from agencies.)