Republicans Propose Stopgap Funding Bill to Avert Government Shutdown

The House Republicans plan to vote on a six-month stopgap funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. This bill, extending government funding through September, includes cuts in non-defense spending while increasing defense expenditures. It excludes mandatory spending programs and proposals for future efficiency cuts by Elon Musk's agency.

The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on a six-month stopgap funding bill, aiming to keep the government operational through September 30. This move comes as the deadline to avert a partial government shutdown looms, with midnight ET on Friday being the cut-off point.

Dubbed as a 'continuing resolution,' the 99-page bill seeks to extend previously approved government funding, although it proposes an overall reduction in spending. Key points include a $13 billion cut in non-defense discretionary spending while increasing defense spending by $6 billion to accommodate pay raises for military juniors and additional warship funding.

Importantly, the bill does not address mandatory spending on significant programs like Social Security or healthcare services such as Medicare and Medicaid. These programs, which along with interest payments on national debt significantly contribute to the federal deficit, remain outside of the continuing resolution.

(With inputs from agencies.)