The US Congress has passed a short-term bill for a stopgap budget, thus averting an imminent halt to government operations. Without an agreement, employees in parts of the public administration would not have been paid from next Tuesday onwards. US President Joe Biden still needs to sign the bill. The bill maintains the funding of government agencies until December 20, extending beyond the presidential election on November 5. Spending will continue at the level of the previous budget, according to the bill, which provides for temporary spending increases in various areas, such as supporting in…