- First of all, it's quiet! Mitch McConnell, Republican Senate Minority Leader, announces approval.

DLNews Politics:

... but Ukraine has to worry about aid

The US Congress could only avert a “government shutdown” looming from Sunday shortly before the deadline. This means that the state can continue to work for now.

In the compromise supported by most Democrats and Republicans, the government budget will continue to be funded for 45 days. So it's only a short respite: a repeat of the drama in mid-November seems inevitable.

Two million US soldiers and 1.5 million federal civil servants can now sigh relief: their salaries will not be frozen on October 1st. Support programs also continue to run normally.

BUT: The big loser of the budget thriller is Ukraine!

Because the Republican majority in the House of Representatives canceled a six-billion-dollar aid package for Kyiv that was still included in a Senate bill! Ultimately, the Democrats could only get a promise that the issue would be resolved shortly.

It is an expression of a turning point in Washington: more and more conservatives would instead invest money for military and civilian aid to Ukraine in their own country.

The tug-of-war also once again illustrated the growing dysfunction of the US Parliament. The Republicans even fought among themselves: A right-wing group led by Florida representative Matt Gaetz (41) and Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene (49) blocked practically every budget proposal from “Speaker” Kevin McCarthy (58), the group leader. They insisted on radical (unrealistic) budget cuts and securing the US-Mexico border. Drug smuggling and the influx of migrants should be stopped.

When McCarthy failed to get his initiatives passed within his party, he turned to the Democrats on Saturday morning to reach a bipartisan solution and prevent a potentially devastating shutdown.

Thumbs up! Chuck Schumer, Democratic Senate Majority Leader, after the approval

The bill passed with 335 votes to 91

The “speaker” before the vote: “We will behave like adults in the room. And keep the government open!” Certainly sensible. But it could cost him the executive chair... Amid the hectic negotiations, the party rebels had threatened several times: If McCarthy made common cause with the Democrats, they would prepare for a coup!

Most Democrats in the House and Senate voted for the budget package. They had to accept the cutting of aid to Ukraine for pragmatic reasons: They did not want to be accused by the conservatives of assigning billions to the war-torn country a higher priority than keeping the US government open.

Are you telling me you would shut down the government if Ukraine weren't funded?" Republican Mike Lawler (37) rumbled before the vote.

Amid the hectic Saturday, one representative lost his nerve: Jamaal Bowman (D) intentionally set off a fire alarm in a congressional annex to delay the vote. Investigations have been initiated.

In the end, however, the Senate also approved the interim budget. US President Joe Biden (80) signed the law. There is hardly any time to breathe a sigh of relief: the clock is already ticking for the next showdown.