Stopgap

Trump signs stopgap spending bill to avoid a shutdown

By CAITLIN EMMA

President Donald Trump has signed a short-term spending bill that averts a government shutdown and extends current funding levels and programs through Nov. 21, according to a White House spokesperson.

The continuing resolution, H.R. 4378 (116), buys more time for bicameral negotiations on a dozen fiscal 2020 spending bills that would provide updated funding levels for 15 federal departments and dozens of smaller federal agencies.

Current federal funding runs out at midnight Monday.

The bill provides another year to send military assistance to Ukraine following the Trump administration's temporary freeze on the funds. It also allows the president’s trade relief to continue flowing to farmers, while placing new transparency requirements on the funds.

Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories would receive a much-needed extension of their Medicaid funding. And the National Flood Insurance Program’s authority and the Export-Import Bank’s charter would be extended through Nov. 21.