U.S. Congress Approves Funding to Avoid Federal Agency Shutdown

The U.S. Congress has passed a law that provides funding for the federal government until September, allowing for the avoidance of a partial shutdown that threatened operations. After the deadline for budget approval expired at midnight on Friday, the Senate voted in the early hours on a funding bill worth $1.2 trillion, following its approval by the House of Representatives. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer noted from the chamber that "it wasn't easy, but our perseverance tonight paid off." He added before the final approval of the text: "It is a good thing for the American people that we reached a bipartisan agreement to get the job done." The last partial shutdown of the federal government occurred during Donald Trump's presidency, lasting from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019.