WASHINGTON — President Trump and Republican lawmakers emerged victorious Tuesday, winning bipartisan support to reopen the government, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history without giving in to any core Democratic demands.
Members of the House of Representatives converged in Washington for a final vote, expected as early as Wednesday, after 60 senators, including seven Democrats and an independent. advanced the measure Monday night.. A majority of House Democratic lawmakers are expected to oppose the continuing resolution, which does not include an extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits that were a key demand during the shutdown negotiations.
As a result, according to independent analysts, premiums will more than double For the more than 20 million Americans using the health care marketplace, out-of-pocket payments have increased annually from an average of $888 to $1,904, according to KFF.
Senate Democrats who voted to reopen the government said they secured a promise from Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, that they would vote to extend the tax cuts next month.
But the vote is likely to fail along party lines. And even if the measure received some support from Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has made no promises that he would vote on the measure in the lower chamber.
The end of the quarantine comes at a crucial time for the U.S. airline industry ahead of one of its busiest travel seasons around Thanksgiving. The extended federal government shutdown has left federal workers in the sector sick in droves, prompting an unprecedented Federal Aviation Administration directive that has slowed operations at the nation's largest airports.
Lawmakers are rushing to vote before federal aviation security workers miss another paycheck this week, potentially adding to frustration within their ranks and leading to further delays at airports heading into the upcoming holiday week.
It will be the first time the House has conducted legislative work in more than 50 days, a marathon stretch that has delayed lawmakers' work on issues ranging from appropriations and stock trading rules to a discharge petition demanding the release of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
“We look forward to reopening the government this week so Congress can return to our regular legislative session,” Johnson told reporters on Monday. “There will be long days and long nights here for the foreseeable future to make up for the lost time that has been forced upon us.”
To reopen the government, the spending package must pass the House of Representatives, where Republicans have a slim majority and Democrats have vowed to vote against the deal, which does not address health care spending.
Still, Trump and Republican leaders believe they have enough votes to push it through the House and reopen the government later this week.
Trump called the spending package a “very good” deal and signaled he would sign it as soon as it reached his desk.
IN Veterans Day event on Tuesday.Trump thanked Thune and Johnson for their work to reopen the government. Johnson was in the crowd listening to Trump speak.
“Congratulations to you, John and everyone on a very great victory,” Trump said in a speech at Arlington National Cemetery. “We are reopening our country. It should never have been closed.”
While Trump praised the measure as a done deal, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the chamber's top Democrat, said his party will still try to delay the legislation or undermine it using every tool it has left.
“House Democrats will vigorously oppose any legislation that does not decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” Jeffries said in an interview with CNN on Tuesday morning.
As in the Senate, California House Democrats are expected to vote against the shutdown deal because it does not address expiring health care subsidies.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi said the shutdown agreement reached in the Senate “does not meet the needs of American working families” and said she supports House Democratic leaders in opposing the legislation.
“We must continue to fight for a responsible, bipartisan path forward that reopens government. And makes health care affordable for the American people,” Pelosi. This is stated in a message on the social network.
Meanwhile, California Republicans in the House of Representatives criticized Democrats for trying to block the funding agreement.
“These extremists only care about their radical base, regardless of the consequences for America,” said Rep. Ken Calvert of Corona. in a post on a social network.
Rep. Kevin Kiely (R-Rocklin) publicly called on Johnson to negotiate with Democrats on health care during the shutdown. He said in an interview last month that he believes there is “a lot of room” to address both sides' concerns about how to deal with rising health care costs.
Keeley said Monday that he and Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-San Jose) are introducing legislation that would extend the Affordable Care Act tax breaks for another two years.
He said the bill would “stop massive increases in health care costs for the 22 million Americans whose tax breaks are about to expire.”
“What's important is that the extension is temporary and fully paid for, so it can't add to the deficit,” Keeley said, referring to frequently raised Republican concerns that extending the loans would add to the national debt.
