Trump signs spending bill keeping government funded through Dec. 21

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed a short-term spending bill that averts a partial government shutdown for now, postponing a fight over his border wall until just before Christmas.

The legislation extends government funding for the Homeland Security Department, the Justice Department, the Agriculture Department and some other government agencies through Dec. 21. Funding for those agencies had been set to expire overnight.

The House and Senate passed the short-term bill on Thursday. The House Appropriations Committee announced Friday that Trump had signed it.

Trump and congressional Democrats are at an impasse over how much to spend on Trump’s long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. That is the issue holding up completion of the spending bills, which are already two months overdue.

If Congress and Trump do not act before midnight Dec. 21 a partial government shutdown will begin, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of federal workers.