Congressional leaders react as government shutdown resolution approaches
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries shared updates on shutdown negotiations.
WASHINGTON – The Senate approved a deal Monday night to end the longest government shutdown in history, putting Congress on the brink of resolving a weeks-long battle that has grounded flights and halted food stamps for millions of Americans.
The Senate voted 60-40 to sign off on a deal agreed by a group of Democratic senators and eight Republicans that would reopen the government until January 30. The continuing resolution now goes to the House, where it is scheduled to be considered on Wednesday after the Veterans Day holiday.
The bill is expected to win enough votes to pass in the Republican-controlled House, but most Democrats are likely to vote against it.
The government shutdown lasted 42 days. In a concession to Democrats, the continuing resolution would reverse President Donald Trump’s recent federal workforce cuts amid the government shutdown, but it would not extend expiring Affordable Care Act aid, which Democrats have been demanding for weeks.
Instead, the bill simply guarantees a single vote on health care subsidies in December, before the credits expire at the end of the year and health insurance premiums skyrocket. It’s unclear whether there is enough Republican support for extending ACA subsidies for the bill to pass in the Senate, and Speaker Mike Johnson has not committed to holding a vote in the House.
The eight Democratic defectors in the Senate are facing widespread criticism from within their own party for bowing to President Trump’s shutdown threat. There are also calls for Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to resign from leadership, citing his inability to maintain order in the caucus despite voting against the deal.
President Trump calls closed voting a ‘huge victory’ for Republicans
President Donald Trump congratulated Republican leaders at a Veterans Day ceremony Tuesday on a shutdown deal expected to reopen the federal government.
“Congratulations to you and (Senate Majority Leader John Thune) and everyone on a very big victory. We’re opening up the country. It should never have been shut down. It should never have been shut down,” Trump told House Speaker Mike Johnson in a speech at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Senate passed a bill to reopen the government on Monday. It could pass the House as early as Wednesday afternoon if the House reconvenes for a vote.
– Francesca Chambers
Government shutdown bill would allow eight senators to sue with phone subpoenas
The compromise plan to reopen the government includes a provision that would allow senators whose phone records were subpoenaed during the Justice Department’s investigation into election interference to sue the government for up to $500,000.
Special Counsel Jack Smith subpoenaed the phone records of Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming during the investigation of President Donald Trump.
None of the senators were indicted. Mr. Smith dropped the charges when Mr. Trump was elected president for a second time, based on a long-standing department policy that prohibits prosecuting sitting presidents.
This bill would waive the government’s immunity from litigation against subpoenas. The Senate Judiciary Committee recently unveiled the subpoena.
But Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, criticized the provision on social media on Nov. 11 as “outrageous” and a way for President Trump to “write multi-million dollar checks” to senators who get rich on “taxpayer money.”
The bill was introduced after President Trump sued the government for $230 million for a similar investigation.
The House could vote to reopen the government as early as Nov. 12 at 4 p.m.
The House could begin voting as early as 4 p.m. on Nov. 12 to reopen the government and approve the bill for President Donald Trump to sign.
The House has been on the road since before the government shutdown began on Oct. 1, waiting for the Senate to approve temporary funding to reopen the government. On November 10th, the Senate passed a funding patch through January 30th.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) told lawmakers to return to the Capitol by Nov. 12, when the chamber reopens at noon.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) informed lawmakers that multiple votes are expected and the first vote could occur as early as 4 p.m. The House of Representatives often votes on motions, such as whether to postpone or reconsider controversial bills, before voting to finalize them.
President Trump said Monday that he supports a Senate deal brokered between Republican leaders and eight Democratic senators to reopen the government.
“Based on what I’m hearing, they haven’t changed a thing,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. “And with support from enough Democrats, we’re going to reopen the country.”
President Trump said, “We’re sorry to have to close, but we’ll reopen soon.”
The deal, which must be signed by President Trump, would reverse his recent layoffs of federal workers during the government shutdown, and the president has indicated he agrees to it.
President Trump said, “We will abide by the agreement. The agreement is a very good one.”
The Senate-passed agreement would reopen the government through Jan. 30 and cover year-round funding for several agencies and programs, including food assistance and veterans benefits. SNAP funding will continue at a high level through September.
It also includes a promise to vote on legislation that could extend expired Obamacare subsidies. Tax credits, which millions of Americans rely on to help pay their insurance premiums, are a central issue in the shutdown fight.
Additionally, the agreement cancels layoffs for thousands of federal workers and prohibits potential layoffs until January 30th. The layoffs have been temporarily blocked by a federal court.
President Trump on Monday promised $10,000 bonuses to air traffic controllers who worked without pay during the shutdown and threatened to cut pay for those who did not report to work.
“All air traffic controllers must get back to work now!!!” President Trump said on social media on November 10. “Those who don’t will be effectively ‘suspended.'”
Many air traffic controllers continued to work without pay during the shutdown. But other airlines refused and did not notify airports across the country, so the Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to cancel 4% of their flights over the weekend.
President Trump told Fox News on Monday night that he did not know where the money for the bonus would come from. “I don’t know. I get it from somewhere. I always get paid from somewhere.”
A small number of Senate Democrats support a compromise plan to reopen the government, but it is unpopular with fellow left-wing leaders.
“Entering this agreement is illegal,” New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill said in a statement.
“Pathetic,” California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote in a one-word post about X.
And most Senate Democrats balked at compromise.
“We cannot support an agreement that still leaves millions of Americans with questions about how they will pay for their health care and whether they can afford to get sick,” said Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.).
