A stopgap bill is a temporary measure passed by Congress to fund the government for a short period of time, usually to avoid a government shutdown while lawmakers negotiate a longer-term spending bill. Stopgap bills typically extend current funding levels and may include emergency aid for specific purposes, such as disaster relief or foreign aid. The length of a stopgap bill can vary, but they are usually only a few weeks to a few months long. Stopgap bills are often the result of political gridlock or disagreements between lawmakers over spending priorities.