The United States Senate approved a set of compromise bills designed to resume government operations, marking a critical step toward ending the longest shutdown in the nation’s history, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to CNN and Associated Press. Sixty senators voted in favor of three spending bills that fund various federal programs, while forty opposed them. The legislation also extends overall government funding through the end of January.
The approval followed negotiations between a group of eight centrist Democrats, Senate Republican leaders, and the White House administration. The agreement allowed the government to reopen in exchange for Republican support on key decisions regarding subsidies for affordable healthcare, one of the main points of contention in the federal budget debate.
Republicans insisted that funding for these healthcare subsidies should not be included in the overall budget, while Democrats argued for their integration into government expenditures. The full resolution of the shutdown will require further legislative steps, including consideration by the House of Representatives.
Democratic leadership in the House has informed its members that a vote to end the shutdown is expected later this week. Lawmakers will receive notice 36 hours in advance of any vote to ensure their ability to reach Washington, despite flight delays and cancellations caused by the partial government shutdown.
Earlier we wrote that Prolonged U.S. Shutdown Threatens Airspace Closure and Federal Services.
