President Biden on Friday signed legislation to fund the federal government for at least another week, after the bill cleared both the Senate and House to avert a partial government shutdown.

Mr. Biden signed the bill in private without any fanfare or statement. On Thursday, when the bill was passed, he offered tepid support calling it “good news,” but “not a long-term solution.”

“In the days ahead, Congress must do its job and pass full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people,” he said in a statement.

The Senate on Thursday followed the House and approved the temporary extension of government funding in a 77 to 13 vote. The House passed the bill earlier Thursday by a vote of 332 to 99.

Under the temporary extension, some government agencies will be funded for another week, through March 8, while others will be funded until March 22.

Leaders have two more weeks to pass six other spending bills to fully fund the federal government through September. Without the extension, funding for the Departments of Transportation, Housing, Agriculture and veterans programs would have lapsed at midnight Saturday. Funding for other agencies, including the Pentagon, would have expired on March 8.

The government has repeatedly been on the brink of shutting down since the end last September as Congress has struggled to pass the annual appropriations bills before the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.

Congress has relied on short-term extensions, known as continuing resolutions, to keep the government operating. 

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.