In a last-minute Houdini act that would leave any magician in awe, President Biden inked a temporary funding bill mere moments before the clock struck midnight, narrowly averting a government shutdown. While the package gave a cold shoulder to aid for Ukraine (much to the chagrin of both parties), it did dole out a generous $16 billion for federal disaster assistance.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who might be wishing for an invisibility cloak right about now, pulled a sudden U-turn, ditching his right-wing peers’ demands for spending cuts. Instead, he played the role of an unlikely hero by leaning on the Democrats to get the bill over the finish line.

Despite Biden lauding the bill’s passage as “good news,” he gave the House GOP the side-eye for their drama-filled antics. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer assured the public that they could sleep soundly… at least until mid-November when this merry-go-round starts up again.

In a twist worthy of a soap opera, aid for Ukraine became the hot potato, especially after President Zelenskyy’s recent visit to the U.S. But hope is not lost; both Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Michael Bennet are rallying behind Ukraine.

Still, it’s worth noting that not all Republicans were on board with McCarthy’s game plan. Enter Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Trump ally, who might as well have cued the dramatic music when hinting at a motion to boot McCarthy from his Speaker role.

To sum it all up, it’s been a whirlwind on Capitol Hill, with more plot twists than a telenovela. As for the American people? Maybe grab some popcorn; the next episode promises to be just as riveting!

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