Congressional leaders have announced a short-term agreement to keep the government funded past the Friday deadline, preventing a partial shutdown. The House Republicans introduced a continuing resolution (CR) that extends current funding levels until March 14, 2024. This marks the second such extension since the fiscal year ended on September 30.

The bill includes over $100 billion for disaster relief in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, along with $10 billion in economic aid for farmers. Additionally, it addresses healthcare by targeting Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), aims to revitalize Washington, D.C.'s RFK Stadium area, and includes provisions for outbound investment legislation to restrict U.S. funding flowing to Chinese military and tech companies.

The agreement, spearheaded by Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, also encompasses a reauthorization of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems program, prompted by recent drone activity along the East Coast. To partially offset these expenditures, the bill allows the Treasury to recover some funds used for the Baltimore Key Bridge reconstruction.

Despite the bipartisan agreement, some Republican representatives have expressed dissatisfaction with Speaker Johnson for including policy riders in what they expected to be a "clean" CR. Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) criticized the inclusion of a healthcare package and the lack of time to review the extensive bill before voting. This disagreement delayed the bill's release from Sunday to Tuesday evening.

While allies of President-elect Trump had advocated for a short-term extension to give the incoming administration and Republican-controlled Congress greater control over government spending, other GOP members expressed concerns that revisiting past disagreements could impede the agenda they hope to achieve in Trump's initial 100 days. They acknowledge the slim majority and the limited room for error.