"Congress Averts Shutdown, Mooney's No Vote Sparks Controversy"

Congress averted a federal shutdown by passing a short-term funding bill that will keep the government funded until November 17. Congressman Alex Mooney voted against the bill and used it to criticize his opponent, Governor Jim Justice, in the U.S. Senate race. The bill passed the Senate with a wide margin, and Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito voted in favor. Mooney's Senate campaign called on Justice to clarify his stance on the spending measure. Justice blamed the toxic political culture in Washington, D.C., and did not address his position on funding. The bill dropped $6 billion for Ukraine aid and the national debt stands at $33 million.