• NOW: The Senate has voted to approve a funding measure to reopen the federal government and end the longest shutdown in US history. The bill must now go to the House for approval before it is sent to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed.
• President’s reaction: Trump this afternoon said he supported the Senate federal funding deal to reopen the government in exchange for a future vote on extending enhanced Affordable Care subsidies.
• Ongoing shutdown impacts: An appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s effort to block fully paying food stamp benefits in November, but many recipients are still in limbo. Meanwhile, several airlines have preemptively canceled flights tomorrow as part of the administration’s directive calling for reduced operations due to staffing shortages.
A small band of Senate Democrats voted with Republicans tonight to approve a funding measure to reopen the federal government — without securing their party’s demand to guarantee an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which help millions of Americans afford insurance.
The funding compromise will now go to the House, where GOP leaders are hopeful it could pass as soon as Wednesday and end the longest-ever US shutdown. The recently struck deal, which President Donald Trump is expected to sign, would restore critical services like federal food aid, as well as pay for hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
Continue reading the complete article on the original source
