House and Senate Pass Short-Term Bill to Avert Shutdown

“Congress on Thursday passed legislation to keep the federal government open into March, approving the third stopgap spending bill in four months as lawmakers struggle to agree on long-term government funding plans,” the Washington Post reports.

“The bill extends deadlines to March 1 and March 8. Money for roughly 20 percent of the government — including the Transportation Department, some veterans’ assistance and food and drug safety programs — had been set to expire just after midnight Saturday morning. The remainder — which funds the Defense and State departments, among other critical functions — would have expired on Feb. 2 without the new extension.”