The House passed a short-term extension in government funding on Wednesday, temporarily avoiding a shutdown as Washington shifts its attention to the November election.
Lawmakers easily passed the three-month measure, known as a continuing resolution, over the objection of conservatives and former President Donald Trump, who wanted election security legislation attached. All Democrats ultimately voted in favor of the extension, with 82 Republicans opposed.
The package, which extends current spending levels until Dec. 20, buys lawmakers more time to negotiate a budget for the 2025 fiscal year. It also punts that fight until after the election, when voters will decide control of Congress. House lawmakers will not return to Capitol Hill until Nov. 12.
The continuing resolution does not allocate new spending for most government agencies, according to legislative text released on Sunday. It does, however, include an additional $230 million for the Secret Service following two attempts on Trump’s life.
The bill’s passage follows a failed effort by House Republicans to extend government funding until March with the SAVE Act, a proof-of-voting bill, attached. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) initially demanded the voting legislation at the urging of Trump, but later back-tracked when it could not pass the House.
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Hard-line conservatives ultimately voted against the funding extension on Wednesday. Still, GOP leaders framed the bill as a win, arguing they were able to fight off Democratic demands for spending increases.
Johnson, who blames Senate Democrats for not passing any of their appropriations bills so far this year, has promised not to push through an end-of-year omnibus when lawmakers return to Washington, despite the new funding deadline butting up against the Christmas recess.
The three-month CR now heads to the Senate for a vote on Wednesday evening, after which President Joe Biden is expected to sign it before the Oct. 1 deadline.