During his visit to the National Institutes of Health in December, President Joe Biden spoke about his administration's plan to fight the coronaviruses disease with the emergence of the Omicron variant.
The short-term government funding bill was signed by President Joe Biden on Friday, averting a crisis as Congress looks toward two other big-ticket items.
Biden signed a bill that prevents a shutdown before the Friday deadline. The House and Senate passed a measure that will keep the government running.
Lawmakers will move to the next steps in December after the threat of a disruptive funding lapse was quashed. The Democratic-led Congress will try to prevent a default on the U.S. debt, as well as pass Biden's bill and approve an annual defense budget bill.
If the limit is not raised, the U.S. will hit it on December 15. Senate Minority Leader McConnell has signaled that he may allow Democrats to raise the borrowing limit on their own.
The Republicans argue that Democrats need to raise the debt ceiling on their own. Congress would have had to increase the limit regardless of what the Democrats did this year. New spending is not authorized by raising or suspending the debt ceiling.
Democrats want to push Biden's top domestic priority through the Senate, even though they try to downplay the risk of a default. The Build Back Better Act would invest in child care, household tax credits, Medicare, Medicaid and green energy, and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to pass it by Christmas.
He is waiting to hear if the plan complies with the budget process that will allow Democrats to pass it on their own. Schumer will need to win over the two Democrats who have not signed off on the bill.
The plan was passed by the House. The House would have to vote again after the Senate makes changes.
The Senate has been busy with a lot of activity. The National Defense Authorization Act is a piece of legislation that sets spending levels for defense programs.
The Senate is at an impasse over a package of amendments to the legislation.
The threat of a shutdown was delayed by Biden's signature on the spending bill. Democrats will try to pass appropriations bills that can pass both chambers of Congress before funding runs out.
Republicans prefer longer continuing resolutions that lock in funding levels tailored to their priorities.
You can subscribe to CNBC on the internet.
