Government shutdown updates: Biden signs stopgap funding measure

The president signed the 45-day bill on Saturday night.

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Nadine El-Bawab, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: September 30, 2023, 11:26 PM EDT

The U.S. seemed to be barreling toward what would have been one of the largest government shutdowns in history -- until a stopgap 45-day funding bill was hastily passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden on Saturday night, not long before the deadline.

Had lawmakers failed to reach an agreement, 3.5 million federal workers would have been expected to go without a paycheck, millions of women and children would have lost nutrition assistance, national parks would likely have closed and more.

The temporary legislation, which lasts until mid-November, affords more time for the House Republican majority and the Senate's Democratic majority to work out longer-term bills.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news developed. All times Eastern.
Sep 30, 2023, 4:42 PM EDT

Bowman 'regrets' triggering building alarm, spox says

Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-NY, "regrets" triggering a building alarm in the Cannon House Office Building earlier Saturday, a spokesperson said.

"Congressman Bowman did not realize he would trigger a building alarm as he was rushing to make an urgent vote. The Congressman regrets any confusion," his spokesperson, Emma Simon, said in a statement to ABC News.

The fire alarm was triggered at 12:05 p.m. on the second floor of the building, according to a U.S. Capitol Police spokesperson. The building was evacuated and reopened after officers determined there was no threat.

"An investigation into what happened and why continues," the Capitol Police spokesperson said.

The alarm went off as Democrats were scrambling to make it back to the Capitol to vote and buy themselves more time to review the GOP bill.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott, Lauren Peller, John Parkinson, Jay O'Brien and Benjamin Siegel

Sep 30, 2023, 3:24 PM EDT

White House reacts to House-passed continuing resolution

According to a White House official, the bill passed by the House of Representatives keeps the government open at a higher funding levels than the Senate bill and includes disaster relief and FAA authorization.

The White House expects House Speaker Kevin McCarthy -- who has stated his support for funding to support Ukraine -- to bring a separate bill to the floor "shortly."

-ABC News' Fritz Farrow

Sep 30, 2023, 2:57 PM EDT

House passes 45-day stopgap spending bill

In a bipartisan vote, the House of Representatives passed a 45-day stopgap spending bill –- sending the bill to the Senate with just over 9 hours left before the shutdown deadline.

The vote passed 335-91. Just one House Democrat voted against the bill, while 90 Republicans opposed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s bipartisan solution. Seven lawmakers missed the vote.

After the vote, the House quickly adjourned until noon on Monday -- so if the Senate fails to approve the House bill, they won’t come back to try something else.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, who has threatened to make a motion to vacate the chair in an effort to oust McCarthy, was attempting to seek recognition on the floor but the chair did not recognize him before gaveling out.

-ABC News' John Parkinson

Sep 30, 2023, 2:46 PM EDT

House poised to pass 45-day stopgap spending bill

The House vote is ongoing but it’s already received sufficient support for passage, with over 300 'yes' votes. It’s not official until the member presiding over the chamber gavels out the vote.

The ongoing vote tally has more Democrats supporting the bill than Republicans (over 190 Democrats and over 110 Republicans) – creating an awkward dynamic for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

-ABC News' John Parkinson

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