House Democrats unveil stopgap measure to avert shutdown and suspend debt limit

Washington — House Democrats on Tuesday released the text of a short-term government funding bill that includes a provision to suspend the debt limit and directs billions of dollars to efforts to relocate Afghan refugees and for disaster relief following recent hurricanes and wildfires.

The 94-page bill, known as a continuing resolution, maintains current federal funding levels through December 3 and includes a suspension of the debt limit through December 2022. If passed by the House and Senate, lawmakers would avoid two fiscal crises they are facing in the coming weeks: a partial government shutdown and defaulting on the nation's debts, which Biden administration officials have warned would have catastrophic economic consequences. 

The legislation also provides $28.6 billion in disaster aid to address recent hurricanes, wildfires and droughts, as well as other natural disasters, and $6.3 billion to support relocation efforts of Afghans who fled Kabul after the Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan.