US Senate Votes For Stopgap Measure To Keep Federal Government Open Until December 20

The US Senate on Thursday approved a stopgap funding bill to keep the federal government open until December 20, paving the way for a possible shutdown just days before the local Christmas holiday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2019) The US Senate on Thursday approved a stopgap funding bill to keep the Federal government open until December 20, paving the way for a possible shutdown just days before the local Christmas holiday.

The Senate voted 74-20 in favor of the continuing resolution that will fund the federal government until December 20 and allow negotiators more time to reach a deal on a spending package for the entire fiscal year.

The measure now heads to the White House for US President Donald Trump to sign.

Since the beginning of the 2020 fiscal year - which began on October 1, 2019 - continuing resolutions have allowed the government to function without a budget by operating at 2019 spending levels.

As with other recent budget stalemates, funding for Trump's border wall continued to prevent Congress from passing 12 separate appropriations bills needed to fund the government. Democrats refuse to provide any money for the border wall, which they claim is unnecessary.

The Senate's approval of the measure followed the House of Representatives' passage of the continuing resolution on Tuesday in a 231-192 vote. Trump is expected to sign the measure before Thursday's deadline.