As the US government shutdown enters its 40th day, the US Senate moved closer to a deal to reopen the government on November 9 (local time). The procedural measure saw 60-40 support for a deal that would end the record-breaking shutdown, Bloomberg reported.
The move forward came after several Democrats broke party lines to agree to the Republicans’ terms, she added. Among them is Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, whose state has seen dozens of federal workers laid off — he said it was because the law prohibits new federal workers from being laid off until Jan. 30. The state has 3,00,000 federal employees.
Notably, while the US Senate has been adjourned until November 10 (local time), a final vote has yet to be decided.
The measure must also be approved by the US House of Representatives before it goes to Donald Trump for signature.
Will the US government shutdown end soon?
The report said that even if measures are taken, it is unclear how quickly the shutdown can end. First, the Senate requires the consent of all members to quickly end the shutdown, and even one senator can force several days of procedural delays.
House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to give House lawmakers 36 hours before returning to Washington, he added. That means lawmakers have about 30 hours to debate before voting on the proposal, according to an AFP report. 50 votes will be needed to pass the proposal.
“It looks like we’re getting close to shutting down,” Donald Trump told reporters Sunday night as he returned to the White House.
What are the challenges?
Even if the deal passes the Senate, it still has to pass the House — where votes are not guaranteed, the BB report said. “We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives,” House Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement Sunday night.
Among Democrats who oppose the bill, expanding Obamacare (Affordable Care Act) subsidies is a key point of contention. The current bill does not have this. They also want to reverse Medicaid cuts, sources told the publication.
For conservative Republicans, they are calling for a bill that would fund the entire government through September 30, 2026.
FAA Bans Private Jets From US Airports: Where?
Meanwhile, according to a CNBC report, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will “effectively ban commercial aviation” at a dozen major US airports on November 10 due to a shortage of air traffic controllers due to the shutdown.
Airports included are Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Denver International Airport, General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Ronald Reagan-Washington National Airport, and Seattle International Airport.
(With input from agencies)
