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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Congress is one step closer to avoiding a government shutdown.
The House passed a bill Tuesday night to keep agencies funded through September.
It was an extremely close vote – 217 to 213, with one Democrat voting for it and one Republican voting against it.
House Republicans cheered Tuesday night after passing a bill to fund the government through September 30.
“We did our job today,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the plan.
“It freezes funding. It’s the responsible thing to do,” said Johnson.
The $1.7 trillion bill boosts defense spending by $6 billion and cuts nondefense programs by about $13 billion.
Republicans say passing it buys time to work with the president to come up with bigger cuts in next year’s budget.
“The way that we need to do in order to keep the Trump administration, Elon Musk and DOGE, to continue its promise to the American people to fight fraud, waste and abuse,” said Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.).
Democrats say they’re worried the bill gives the president and Elon Musk more control over future spending.
“The Republican majority just voted to hand a blank check to Elon Musk,” said Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.).
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) says he’s concerned major programs could soon be on the chopping block.
“This partisan and reckless Republican spending bill fails to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid,” said Jeffries.
The bill the House passed does not cut Social Security benefits or make changes to Medicare or Medicaid.