The United States Congress avoided a government shutdown this Saturday by approving a law that extends funding for key issues for 45 daysdespite the reluctance of a group of radical Republican legislators.

Thus, three hours before the deadline and after it was approved by the House of Representatives, the US Senate gave the green light to the extension to postpone the budget paralysis that would have begun at midnight from Saturday to Sunday. leaving the public administration without funds and forcing the closure of most government agencies, museums and national parks. A situation that would have also left 1.3 million soldiers and hundreds of thousands of civil servants without their salaries.

The resolution, which will keep the Government open until November 17 and includes aid for natural disasters, it does not, however, include the two most controversial issues in the budget: an increase in aid to Ukraineand funds for border security.

“We have avoided closure. The bipartisanship, which has been the trademark of the Senate, has prevailed, and the American people can breathe a sigh of relief,” however, celebrated the leader of the Democratic majority in the Upper House, Chuck Summer, minutes after a vote that was ended with 88 ‘yeses’ and nine ‘noes’.

In the Lower House, with a Republican majority, the law obtained 334 votes in favor, 209 from Democratic congressmen and 125 from Republicans, while 91 Republicans voted againstmany of them related to former President Donald Trump.

Although the law, which will now be signed by President Joe Biden, does not contemplate aid to UkraineSummer has stated that she has agreed with Republican leader Mitch McConnell to continue “fighting” so that the final budgets do contemplate continuing to send aid to Kyiv.

Biden’s reaction

For its part, Biden has celebrated that “an unnecessary crisis” has been avoided that would have inflicted unnecessary pain on millions of hard-working Americans.” “This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to be paid, that travelers will avoid delays at airports, that millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutritional assistance and much more. This is good news for the American people,” reads a statement published by the White House.

However, the Democratic president has criticized that “never” should have been “in this position”with “extremist Republicans” avoiding consensus and demanding “devastating” cuts.

“Just a few months ago, Chairman McCarthy and I reached a budget deal to avoid precisely this kind of manufactured crisis. For weeks, hardline House Republicans tried to walk away from that deal by demanding drastic cuts that would have been devastating“, he reproached.

On the issue of aid to Kyiv, Biden has defended that “the overwhelming majority of Congress has been firm in its support” for the country, although there are no new funds in the agreement to continue it. “Under no circumstances can we allow US support for Ukraine to be interrupted.. “I fully expect that the spokesperson will maintain his commitment to the people of Ukraine and ensure the approval of the necessary support to help Ukraine at this critical time,” he concluded.