As the dust settles on Congress’s frantic efforts to pass a stopgap bill, lawmakers are weighing in on the chaotic week on Capitol Hill. President Biden signed the 118-page bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding into March and providing over $100 billion in disaster aid for those affected by storms Helene and Milton in the U.S. Southeast.
The bill also includes a $10 billion provision for economic assistance to farmers. However, President-elect Trump has not publicly commented on the passage of the legislation, and sources tell Fox that the incoming president is not happy about the bill because it does not suspend the debt ceiling.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the result was “a good outcome for the country,” while House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called the legislation a win for his party. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., praised Democrats for “their unity and courage withstanding the Trump-Musk irresponsibility.”
The U.S. Capitol was abuzz with activity throughout the week, as lawmakers worked to resolve their differences and avoid a government shutdown. A slimmed-down version of the bill was rejected by House members on Thursday, but a revised version was passed overwhelmingly on Friday by a vote of 366 to 34.
The Senate worked into early Saturday morning to pass the bill, which was approved by a vote of 85 to 11. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the passage of the funding legislation, saying it would keep the government open and provide aid to Americans affected by natural disasters.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said the revised funding package was a “straightforward bill” that respected taxpayers and delivered aid to those in need. Meanwhile, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., questioned why President Biden appeared to play a limited role in negotiations, saying that the debt ceiling had been used as a “political piñata for decades.”
In other news, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., applauded the Senate for approving the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act, which he had introduced and helped pass in the House. The bill would give the District of Columbia control of the 174-acre RFK campus and revive potential plans for a new Washington Commanders stadium.
