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Congress passes temporary funding bill to avert shutdown, buy time for COVID talks

Biden Trump GOP
Posted at 2:02 PM, Dec 11, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-11 15:14:42-05

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has shipped a temporary government-wide funding bill to President Donald Trump, averting a government shutdown at midnight.

The funding extension gives negotiators time to continue working toward agreement on new COVID-19 relief aid.

The extension sets a new shutdown deadline of midnight next Friday.

The bill passed the Senate by a unanimous voice vote Friday. The House passed it on Wednesday and Trump is expected to sign it before midnight.

COVID-19 relief talks remain stalled but there is universal agreement that Congress won’t adjourn for the year without passing a long-delayed round of pandemic relief.