Congress avoids government shutdown with two-day continuing resolution

Congress avoided a government shutdown late Thursday night by quickly passing a two-day continuing resolution that will keep the government open until the end of Saturday.

Government funding was due to expire at the end of Thursday, Dec. 11. The House was able to pass a giant, $1 trillion spending bill for the rest of the fiscal year, except for the Department of Homeland Security, which will be funded through late February.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) moved quickly to pass a short-term CR late Thursday to avoid a government shutdown.
Image: Alex Wong/Getty Images

But while the House met the funding deadline with just a few hours to spare, it wasn't quick enough for the Senate, which will need at least another day to pass the huge bill.

To avoid the shutdown that would happen after Dec. 11, the House passed a two-day bill in a voice vote.

Moments later, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) took to the Senate floor and said the Senate would pass the short-term bill, and start working on the bigger bill Friday. At about 10:50 p.m., Reid passed the short-term bill by unanimous consent, with few other senators in the chamber.

Reid said that he shared some of the objections other Democrats have with the bill, but said the longer-term bill is better than the shorter bill the House was considering as a fallback option.

I'm upset with certain things in the bill. It's not perfect. But a longer-term funding is much better for our economy than a short-term one.

— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) December 12, 2014