FILE - Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks at a press conference after a luncheon with Senate Democrats at the U.S.
Capitol Building on Oct. 19, 2021 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON - The Senate gave final approval Thursday to legislation averting a weekend government shutdown, sending President Joe Biden a measure designed to give bipartisan bargainers more time to reach an overdue deal financing federal agencies until fall.Final passage was by a bipartisan 65-27 vote, five more than the 60 votes needed.
The House easily approved the legislation last week. Each party had concluded that an election-year shutdown would be politically damaging, especially during a pandemic and a confrontation with Russia over its possible invasion of Ukraine.Yet as with virtually all must-pass bills, politics hitched a ride.
Before passage, conservatives forced votes on amendments including on one of the year's hot-button issues, COVID-19 vaccine mandates.