US debt ceiling

Bowman/Congress during the vote. AP 

US debt ceiling 

The member triggered the fire alarm before the vote  

Jamaal Bowman, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, set off a fire alarm in the Capitol as the chamber was set to vote on a temporary budget to avoid a shutdown. This is reported by AP.  

The building had to be evacuated. Bowman himself claims that it was not an attempted sabotage but an accident. His explanation is that he tried to open a door that is usually open, but now was closed because it is the weekend. 

- I thought it would help me get the door open, he tells reporters.  

That explanation is not bought by Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who calls it "embarrassing" and believes that Bowman should be punished.  

As the evacuation took place, Democrats worked to delay the vote because they needed time to read through the 71-page budget proposal rushed through by Republicans.  

The incident is now being investigated by the police.

Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy. J. Scott Applewhite / AP  

 

US looks to avoid shutdown - temporary budget voted through  

 

The United States looks set to avoid a shutdown of parts of the state apparatus after a temporary budget was voted through in the House of Representatives just hours before the night's deadline, writes Reuters.  

The House of Representatives voted for the cross-party proposal with the numbers 335-91, writes Bloomberg. The proposal advanced by Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy allows state agencies to remain open for an additional 45 days, until Nov. 17.  

 

The interim budget includes $16 billion for disaster relief, but no funds for Ukraine.  

 

Now the Senate will take a position on the proposal, where Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is optimistic. 

 

- There is a growing hope that we might actually be able to avoid a shutdown, he says according to Bloomberg.