No US Government Shutdown: Senate Passes Spending Bill To Fund Government Through April

The U.S. Senate passed a short-term spending bill Friday night to fund the government through April after Democrats who sought more generous healthcare benefits for coal miners stopped delaying action on the measure.

The measure passed, 63-36, saving many government services and operations from closing down or suspending starting at midnight. The passage of the bill reportedly indicates that both parties are keen to keep the government open past Saturday, when current funding authority expires.

The White House announced early Saturday that President Barack Obama had signed the bill into law. The federal agencies would now remain funded until April 28. The legislation was passed Thursday by the House of Representatives.

There has been debate and tension surrounding the vote, and Democrats intend to pressure Donald Trump and his GOP colleagues to live up to campaign promises once the business mogul takes office next year.

Twenty-two Democrats and one independent, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, reportedly voted against the spending bill. Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) had set up a blockade against the measure to bring renewed attention to the troubles of retired coal miners and their widows, whose health plans were due to lapse at the end of the year.

The government funding bill will extend those benefits for an additional four months, but Manchin said the extended health benefits for coal miners are insufficient.

“How do you think we won World War I and World War II? Domestic energy,” Manchin said to reporters, according to the Wall Street Journal. “Where do you think it came from? It came from out of the ground,” he said, complaining that the country needs to show care for the people who have met their energy needs.

Earlier Friday, White House spokesman Eric Schultz expressed support for Manchin's stand on the issue of coal miner health benefits.

“These are coal miners who work for decades in treacherous conditions and who earn these benefits. Unfortunately, the proposal that Republicans are floating only takes care for them for a few months. We believe that’s not right,” Schultz reportedly said.