WASHINGTON – On Sunday, congressional leaders announced they have come to a consensus to temporarily fund the government until December 20, thus avoiding a potential shutdown.

This agreement prevents the shutdown that was expected to start at midnight on September 30, allowing the continued operation of essential government services and avoiding a significant political misstep just a few weeks before the presidential election.

“If both sides can maintain good faith dialogue, I am optimistic we can finalize the continuing resolution this week, well before we reach the September 30 deadline. Bipartisan collaboration in both houses is crucial for this to happen,” stated Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

The House is set to vote on this funding extension, referred to as a continuing resolution (CR), on Wednesday, with the Senate expected to follow quickly to ensure that a shutdown is prevented. The legislation is likely to gain approval from both parties and is anticipated to be signed into law by President Joe Biden.

However, this situation does not eliminate all concerns. Lawmakers will need to negotiate a more permanent solution after the elections, leading to potential further political conflict as Congress undergoes changes and a new president takes office.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., outlined the approach in a letter to his colleagues earlier on Sunday, illustrating the challenging political landscape Congress faces ahead of the elections.

“As history shows and current polls reflect, shutting down the government less than 40 days before a crucial election would be political negligence,” Johnson mentioned in his letter.

The agreement reached between the GOP-led House and the Democrat-controlled Senate followed failed attempts by Johnson to pass a six-month funding extension that included a proposal requiring proof of citizenship for voting. The newly announced agreement does not include this requirement.

This voting legislation was unlikely to succeed in the Senate, where Democrats argue that non-citizen voting is already illegal and extremely infrequent and that the proposed legislation could hinder millions of Americans’ ability to vote by requiring proof of citizenship.

Former President Donald Trump encouraged Republicans to allow the government to shut down if they couldn’t pass the voting legislation, claiming it could alter the presidential election results. However, evidence of non-citizen voting being a significant issue is scarce.

Schumer criticized the GOP plan again on Sunday, stating, “While I’m glad bipartisan discussions quickly led to a government funding agreement without any cuts or contentious additions, this agreement could have been reached two weeks ago. Instead, Speaker Johnson opted to follow the MAGA approach, wasting valuable time.”

While the agreement achieved on Sunday does not include the debated voting legislation, it does allocate an additional $231 million for the U.S. Secret Service. This funding comes in light of a recent assassination attempt on Trump and another security breach where an individual was found awaiting him near a golf course in Florida.

What occurs during a government shutdown?

In the event of a government shutdown, federal employees classified as “nonessential” are sent home and will be paid once the government reopens. “Essential” personnel, who are critical to maintaining vital government functions, will continue working and receive their pay.

Programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are deemed essential and will still operate, although getting assistance or communication during a shutdown may be more difficult. Other important programs, such as those for military veterans and food assistance, will also proceed without interruption.

Federal law enforcement, military, the FBI, DEA, and staff in federal prisons, as well as the Secret Service, Coast Guard, and border security agents, will continue their duties as usual.

However, national parks and monuments will close, and accessing certain government services like visa and passport assistance may become challenging. Funding for childcare initiatives, such as Head Start, will also halt.

Airport security personnel and air traffic controllers will keep working, but travel delays may occur due to staff shortages.

Contributing: Reuters