WASHINGTON (AP) — House members are scheduled to make their long-awaited return to the nation’s capital on Wednesday after a nearly eight-week break in what could be the end of their longest-running crisis. federal government shutdown in the history of the United States.
The House is scheduled to consider the government reopening bill that the Senate passed Monday night. President Donald Trump called the bill a “huge victory” and it is expected to pass in the Republican-led House of Representatives. However, the outlook is travel delays The closure could complicate voting. House Speaker Mike Johnson may need near-university Republicans to reach his goal.
The House of Representatives has not been in session since September 19th. Passed the short term funding patch This is to keep the government open when the new budget year begins in October. Prime Minister Johnson sent members home after the vote, saying House Republicans had done their job and holding the Senate accountable for its action.
Democrats seized the opportunity to cast Republicans on vacation. Federal employees were not paid.travelers suffered airport delays and food assistance benefits expired. Johnson, R-Louisiana, said his members do important work in the district.
The majority of Democrats are expected to vote against the bill, as it does not include a deadline extension. Affordable Care Act tax credits It expires at the end of this year, making coverage more affordable.
“Our strong expectation is that there will be strong Democratic opposition,” New York Democratic Party leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday night during a preview of the vote.
But Mr Johnson said of the pending legislation: “This long national nightmare is finally coming to an end, and I’m grateful for that.”
“After 40 days in the wilderness, causing unnecessary suffering to the American people, some Senate Democrats are finally coming forward to end the pain,” Johnson said.
A compromise to end the shutdown
The bill passed by the Senate includes 8 senators who broke ranks Republicans consulted with Democrats after coming to the conclusion that they would not budge on using the measure to continue the expired health care tax credit. Meanwhile, the damage caused by the closure was increasing day by day. wednesday mark 43rd day since shutdown.
The compromise provides funding for three bipartisan spending bills and extends remaining government funding through January 30th. Republicans have also promised to hold a vote on extending health care subsidies by mid-December, but there is no guarantee of success.
“We had reached a point where many people believed that the government shutdown was very effective in heightening health care concerns,” said Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. The promise of future votes “gives us an opportunity to continue to work on this issue,” she said.
This bill includes layoffs of federal employees; by the Trump administration since the shutdown began. It also protects federal workers from further layoffs through January and guarantees their pay once the shutdown ends. Year-round funding in the USDA bill means people who rely on major food assistance programs will receive those benefits without fear of interruption through the remainder of the budget year.
The plan includes $203.5 million to strengthen security for lawmakers and an additional $28 million for security for Supreme Court justices.
Democrats also included language that would give senators the opportunity to sue if federal agencies or employees search electronic records without notice. The language appears intended to allow Republican lawmakers to pursue damages if their phone records are leaked. analyzed by the FBI As part of an investigation into President Trump’s efforts to overthrow him. his 2020 election loss To Democrat Joe Biden.
“Just like we have a tattoo of the Republican Party’s health care crisis, we will tattoo this provision on the forehead of every House Republican who dares to vote for this bill,” Jeffries said.
Many Democrats say passing the bill was a mistake. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who faced backlash from his party when he voted to keep the agency in place in March, said after meeting with his caucus for more than two hours on Sunday that he could not support the government “in good faith.”
Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, said abandoning the fight was a “horrible mistake.” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, agreed, saying voters: They overwhelmingly supported the Democratic Party in last week’s election. “Stay strong,” he urged them.
Discussions regarding medical care will continue
It’s unclear whether the two parties will be able to find any agreement on health care subsidies before the Senate vote in December. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he did not intend to take up the issue on the floor.
Some Republicans say they’re open to an extension. Tax credits during the COVID-19 pandemic They also want to put new limits on who can receive subsidies, as premiums could rise for millions of people. Some argue that taxes for the plan should be routed through individuals.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Monday she supports expanding the tax credit with changes such as new income limits. Some Democrats have indicated they might be open to that idea.
“We need to act by the end of the year. That’s exactly what the majority leader promised,” Collins said.
Trump and other Republicans have used the debate to renew long-standing criticism of the law and call for it to be repealed or overhauled.
In a possible preview, the Senate voted 47-53 along party lines Monday not to extend the aid for another year. Republicans granted the vote as part of a separate agreement with Democrats to speed up runoff elections.
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Associated Press writer Mary Claire Jalonick contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the federal government shutdown. https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown.
