US House approves bill to avoid “shutdown”

The United States House of Representatives approved this Saturday (September 30, 2023) a bill that provisionally releases funding for the country’s federal agencies. The legislation prevents the US government from entering into “shutdown” from October 1st, the start of the 2024 fiscal year, and maintains activities for at least 45 days. The shutdown would prevent the US from paying the salaries of civil servants and military personnel and would limit government operations to essential activities such as healthcare and education. The approval comes after weeks of obstacles in the Republican-controlled Lower House of the Capitol. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had difficulty gaining the support of the party’s most conservative deputies. The project now goes to the Senate, which has until midnight (1 am Brasília time) to approve the text.