Shutdown Day 42: House to Vote Tonight on Funding Bill to Reopen the Government

WASHINGTON — The federal government shutdown entered its 42nd day on November 11, the longest in U.S. history. The Senate has passed a funding bill to reopen the government, and the House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a floor vote on the evening of November 11 (ET); the vote had not yet taken place at the time of publication. If the House passes the bill, it will go to President Donald Trump for his signature, and the federal government could then reopen.

The Senate passed the funding bill (H.R. 5371) late on November 10 by a vote of 60-40, with seven Democrats and one independent who caucuses with the Democrats joining Republicans to reach the 60 votes needed to advance the measure. The Senate had previously failed to advance a funding bill in 14 procedural votes. The House Rules Committee advanced the bill after an overnight session, sending it to the full House.

The House has been out of session since September 19 and returns on November 11 for its first session in nearly eight weeks. Speaker Mike Johnson had given members 36 hours' notice to return to Washington. According to Associated Press reporting, Johnson said Republicans were "very optimistic" about the outcome, adding, "Our long national nightmare is finally coming to an end, and we're grateful for that." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would not support legislation that fails to extend the health care tax credits.

The package has three parts. First, a stopgap measure funds most federal agencies at current levels through January 30 while the two chambers negotiate full-year spending. Second, three full-year appropriations bills cover agriculture (including the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, FDA), military construction and veterans affairs, and the legislative branch, funded through the end of the fiscal year. Third, the bill provides back pay for federal employees for the shutdown period and reverses the layoffs issued during the shutdown. The bill does not extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits set to expire at the end of December; Senate Majority Leader John Thune has promised the Senate will hold a separate vote on extending the credits by mid-December.

The shutdown began on October 1. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or working without pay, food assistance payments have been delayed, and flights have been widely canceled or delayed. November 11 is Veterans Day. Guidance issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on shutdown operations estimates that about 97 percent of VA employees continue to work during the shutdown: VA medical centers, outpatient clinics and Vet Centers remain open; compensation, pension, education and housing benefits continue to be processed and delivered; burials continue at national cemeteries, which remain open to visitors; and the Veterans Crisis Line operates around the clock. However, career counseling and transition assistance are suspended, the GI Bill hotline and regional benefits offices are closed, and permanent headstone placement and grounds maintenance at national cemeteries are paused.

Trump has publicly endorsed the bill. Tonight's House vote will decide whether the record-setting shutdown ends on its 42nd day.

Related:

Senate Passes Funding Deal 60-40 to End 41-Day Shutdown; House to Vote Wednesday

Sixty Votes and the Government Is Still Closed: What the Deal on the Longest Shutdown Settled, and What It Pushed to December

(Source: U.S. Congress)

Reference: The Associated Press; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Source: U.S. Congress

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：美国国会大厦西立面（资料图，Noclip 摄，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons，本站固定图库）。 / Photo: The west front of the U.S. Capitol (file photo by Noclip, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; GSM fixed image library).

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