Congress Passes Bill to Postpone Republican-Caused Government Shutdown

The US House passed a continuing resolution to fund the federal government and avoid a shutdown for the next 45 days. The resolution passed with widespread support, but Congressman Scott Perry was the only member of the Pennsylvania Delegation to vote against it. 

The US House passed a continuing resolution in a  335-to-91 bipartisan vote on Saturday that temporarily funds the federal government and averts a shutdown for 45 days. 

A shutdown would have left 70,000 Pennsylvania residents who work for the federal government without a paycheck. It also would have cut access to different food and formula programs for 177,000 mothers, children and babies. 

Every member of Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation besides US Reps. Scott Perry (R-York) and John Joyce (R-Adams) voted for the continuing resolution. Perry voted no for the bill, while Joyce refused to vote at all on the measure. 

In the days leading up to a possible government shutdown, US Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Philadelphia) spoke on the House Floor highlighting how House  Republicans manufactured the potential crisis. 

After a Republican lawmaker said that they didn’t want a government shutdown on the House Floor, Boyle responded by quoting different Republican leaders, and former president Donald Trump, who supported the shutdown. 

“The previous speaker just said that no Republican member wants a shutdown. I have the quotes right here, which I will submit for the record when I’m done,” Boyle said. 

“One House Republican said, ‘Let’s shut it down.’ Another Republican colleague saying, ‘We shouldn’t fear a government shutdown… most Americans won’t even miss it.’ And the leader of the Republican Party – the former president – saying, ‘Unless you get everything, shut it down.’” 

Following the Senate’s vote on the continuing resolution late on Saturday, US Sen. John Fetterman issued a statement showing frustration with how Republicans handled the potential shutdown. 

“Pushing the snooze button solves nothing, because these same losers will try to pull the same shit in 45 days,” Fetterman said, “I voted yes tonight to keep the government open, but I’m done normalizing this dysfunction.”

Congresswoman Summer Lee (D-Allegheny) thanked her colleagues and progressive members for holding the line and voting for the continuing resolution. 

“For months, we’ve fought to stop MAGA Republicans from forcing a shutdown to starve and evict our families, cut our neighbors off from essential services, bankroll their billionaire donors, attack trans people, and criminalize abortion at the expense of their own voters and our entire economy,” Lee said in a statement. 

“We will spend the next 45 days fighting to stop Republicans from shutting down the government and forcing millions of workers, mothers, children, and veterans to go without paychecks, formula food and shelter – again.”