Democrats unveil temporary funding bill to avert shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats controlling the House unveiled a government-wide temporary funding bill on Monday that would keep federal agencies fully up and running into December. The measure would prevent a partial shutdown of the government after the current budget year expires at the end of the month.

The stopgap funding bill comes as negotiations on a huge COVID-19 relief bill have collapsed and as the Capitol has been thrust into an unprecedented political drama with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, which has launched an intense election-season Senate confirmation fight.

The temporary funding measure provoked Republicans and President Donald Trump, who were denied a provision that would give the administration continued authority to dole out Agriculture Department farm bailout funds. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had initially informally indicated she would add to the measure language that would permit Trump to continue to release aid to farmers that would otherwise be delayed, but she pulled back after protests from other Democrats, who complain that the Trump administration has favored southern states such as Georgia — a key swing state and home of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue — and larger producers in distributing bailout funds.

The legislation, called a continuing resolution, or CR, in Washington-speak, would keep every federal agency running at current funding levels through Dec. 11, which will keep the government afloat past the election and possibly reshuffle Washington’s balance of power.

The measure also extends many programs whose funding or authorizations lapse on Sept. 30, including the federal flood insurance program, highway and transit programs, and a long set of extensions of various health programs such as a provision to prevent Medicaid cuts to hospitals that serve...