On December 21, the United States successfully avoided a budget shutdown that could have left hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid for the holidays. Congress passed a funding law lasting until mid-March, including over $100 billion for regions impacted by natural disasters. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed satisfaction with the outcome. Initially, concerns arose over potential discord involving former President Donald Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk, but House Speaker Mike Johnson was confident in the bipartisan agreement reached.