WASHINGTON —The longest government shutdown in U.S. history could conclude as soon as today, Day 43, after the U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to reopen the government.
The funding bill has already passed the Senate and it will now go to President Donald Trump’s desk, where he’s scheduled to sign it Wednesday night, according to the White House. Trump has called the bill a “very big victory.”
Yet even as the possibility of an end to the shutdown draws near, almost no one in Congress will be satisfied. Democrats didn’t get the health insurance provisions they demanded added to the spending deal. And Republicans, who control the levers of power in Washington, didn’t escape blame, according to polls and some state and local elections that went poorly for their party.
Republicans used their slight majority to get the bill over the finish line by a vote of 222-209.
The historic 43-day funding lapse saw federal workers go without multiple paychecks, travelers stranded at airports and people lining up at food banks to get a meal for their families.
Democrats wanted to extend an enhanced tax credit expiring at the end of the year that lowers the cost of health coverage obtained through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. They refused to go along with a short-term spending bill that did not include that priority. But Republicans said that was a separate policy fight to be held at another time. They eventually prevailed, but only after the shutdown took an increasing toll on the country.
“We told you 43 days ago from bitter experience that government shutdowns don’t work,” said Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “They never achieve the objective that you announce. And guess what? You haven’t achieved that objective yet, and you’re not going to.”
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. The Trucker Media Group is subscriber of The Associated Press has been granted the license to use this content on TheTrucker.com and The Trucker newspaper in accordance with its Content License Agreement with The Associated Press.
