The President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed a provisional funding bill to keep the government open for the rest of the fiscal year. This clears the way for Republican lawmakers to focus on border and tax bills they aim to pass in the coming months. The president signed the legislation while in Florida over the weekend, according to a statement sent by the White House via email.
The bill could face difficulties in Capitol Hill, as some budget hawks in the Republican Party are wary of Trump's sweeping plans, which include the elimination of taxes on tips, Social Security, and overtime pay. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer had raised the possibility of a government shutdown on March 15 if the bill was not passed.
Congress narrowly approved the Republican spending plan when Schumer and some Democrats joined the Republican majority. Schumer argued that it was essential not to block crucial government services, while other Democrats viewed it as an opportunity to impose restrictions on mass layoffs of federal employees and the elimination of government agencies by Trump and Elon Musk. This division led to debate within the party.
Trump expressed his support for Schumer after the vote and stated that the New York Democrat "did the right thing, really." The president has expressed his desire for lawmakers to focus on extending and expanding his first-term tax cut package, a goal that could be achieved without Democratic votes.
