Trump Signs Bill Funding Government for 6 Months, Avoiding a Shutdown

President Donald Trump on March 15 signed a bill into law funding the government through the end of September, avoiding the looming threat of a government shutdown. In a post on the social platform X, White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said, “@POTUS signed the CR,” or continuing resolution, on Saturday. The legislation mostly keeps government funding at levels set during the Biden administration, with changes. It increases defense spending by roughly $6 billion while lowering non-defense spending by about $13 billion, small alterations in the nearly $1.7 trillion package. The Senate voted 54–46 to pass the bill on Friday, hours ahead of the funding deadline. While a handful of Democrats had voted to advance the bill earlier in the day, just Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Angus King (I-Vt.) supported its final passage. The only Republican to vote against the bill, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), cited budget concerns....