House Set to Vote on Reopening Government After Key Hurdle

The House is set to vote on reopening the federal government on Wednesday, following the approval of a crucial funding bill this morning.

A bipartisan agreement aimed at ending the ongoing 42-day government shutdown received the green light from the House Rules Committee on Wednesday night. All Republicans backed the bill, while every Democrat opposed it.

The bill will now head to the House floor, and sources familiar with discussions among Republican leaders indicated they expect nearly unanimous support from their side.

This passage marks a significant advance toward concluding what has become the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. A committee hearing to push the bill forward started on Wednesday night and extended over six hours, wrapping up just after 1 a.m. Thursday.

Democrats attempted to push for votes on amendments related to enhanced Obamacare subsidies aimed at addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, which are set to expire at the year’s end. However, these efforts were unsuccessful.

There was an unexpected appearance by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) who testified in favor of extending subsidies for three more years.

Throughout the lengthy hearing, lawmakers exchanged heated words, with Democrats accusing Republicans of neglecting Americans’ health care while taking what they described as extended “vacations” in their districts during the shutdown.

Responding to these claims, House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) expressed her frustration: “I’m tired of hearing people say they took eight weeks off. I worked every day. I don’t know about you. I don’t want to hear another soul say that.”

The funding bill also includes a provision that permits Republican senators to sue the federal government for $500,000 over the covert collection of phone records during former special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation.

Some Republican representatives, like Chip Roy of Texas, expressed their belief that many perceive this as a self-serving act. “We’re trying to figure out how to persuade the Senate to amend this provision without having to amend it here,” Roy remarked.

The bill is now poised for a “rules vote” in the full House, which will enable lawmakers to deliberate on it if it passes this stage. Following that, a final vote will occur later Wednesday night to send the legislation to President Donald Trump for his signature.

President Trump has indicated his support for the bill, stating to reporters, “We will open up our country very quickly.”

After weeks of stalemate, the Senate managed to progress on Monday night, with a 60-40 vote that included support from eight Democrats to reopen the government.

Amid the shutdown, travel issues have plagued U.S. airports, as air traffic controllers and TSA personnel have been working without pay since last month, leading many to seek second jobs. This has caused staffing shortages and potential delays just ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

What We Know About the Government Shutdown

• According to a court filing by the Trump administration, over 4,000 federal employees were laid off on October 10 due to the ongoing partial shutdown.
• The majority of these layoffs occurred in the Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services, with around 1,200 workers affected.
• Across the U.S., airports have faced delays attributed to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
• On October 11, President Trump announced he would use his authority to ensure military personnel get paid despite the shutdown.
• The shutdown began on October 1 after Democrats opposed short-term funding measures, insisting on including the extension of federal health insurance subsidies.

Millions of Americans depending on federal food benefits have also found themselves in uncertain situations due to the partisan disputes about funding these essential programs during the shutdown.

The proposed bill would sustain federal funding levels for fiscal year 2025 until January 30, allowing more time for negotiators to hammer out a long-term plan for fiscal year 2026.

There is potential for further progress with efforts to fund the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Military Construction.

These efforts are part of a series of twelve bills packaged together, referred to as “minibuses,” aimed at fulfilling Congress’s annual funding obligations.

If Democrats prevail, the deal could reverse layoffs imposed by the Trump administration in October and offer furlough pay to affected workers.

A side agreement in the Senate also assures that Senate Democrats will vote on extending Obamacare subsidies strengthened during the pandemic, but Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has not made similar promises in the House.