The United States fends off the threat of “shutdown” by adopting an emergency financing measure from the federal administration

Drama in Washington. The United States narrowly avoided, on Saturday September 30, the paralysis of its federal administration, with the adoption by the Senate, just three hours before the “shutdown”, of an emergency measure allowing it to temporarily continue its financing . This measure adopted by the US Congress provides that the US administration continues to be funded for 45 days. However, it excludes aid to Ukraine at war, as requested by the White House.

Saturday’s vote is “a victory for the American people, and a complete defeat of right-wing extremists,” welcomed the leader of the Democrats in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries. At the last minute, the resolution was proposed by the leader of the Republicans in the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, then adopted by the House with 335 yes (and 91 no). In the Senate, he then obtained a very large majority of 88 yes, against 9 no.

“An unnecessary crisis” averted

This final attempt aimed to avoid the paralysis of the American administration, which would have put civil servants on technical unemployment and cut food aid to certain beneficiaries. Hundreds of thousands of state employees therefore held their breath as the deadline approached (midnight on the night of Saturday to Sunday), because neither chamber of Congress had reached an agreement on a finance law to extend the federal state budget.

“Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep government open, avoiding an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted unnecessary suffering on millions of hardworking Americans.”welcomed Joe Biden in a press release. But he immediately called on Congress to quickly approve aid to Ukraine that was excluded from the emergency funding measure. “I expect the President of Congress to fulfill his commitment to the Ukrainian people”declared the American president, referring to Kevin McCarthy.