The possibility of an end to the partial government business shutdown in the US is growing. That US Senate After nearly six weeks of blockade, a transitional budget for the period until the end of January was approved. On Monday evening (local time), 60 senators voted for the proposal, 40 voted against it. This means the longest shutdown in US history is coming to an end. For the budget to be implemented and government employees to be paid back, further decisions are needed in the coming days.
What needs to happen now for this shutdown to truly end?
There are still two important steps missing. First, the House of Representatives, the second chamber of the US Parliament, still has to approve it. The Republican Party led by US President Donald Trump has a slim majority there. So far, few dissenters have publicly announced their opposition, so it currently appears the package is not at risk in Congress. Trump would then have to sign everything, which should be just a formality. Then the transition budget comes into effect. That could happen later this week.
Why did the US budget dispute occur?
The federal budget in the US must be approved by two chambers of the US Congress, namely the House of Representatives and the Senate. From that budget For example, government employees, the military, and aid for those in need are paid. Republicans who support Trump have been arguing heatedly with Democrats over the new budget for weeks. There has been no US budget since October 1 and no money has flowed. This marked the beginning of the government shutdown, the cessation of some government business activities.
Trump’s party has a slim majority in both houses of parliament. In the Senate, Republicans make up 53 of the 100 senators. For a budget measure to be voted on, it would need a resolution from at least 60 senators as well as a Democratic vote against it. Over the weekend there finally was some movement on the issue, and some Democrats gave in.
What was the impact of the blockade?
Example: Some ground staff at airports and air traffic controllers no longer receive salaries. There were staff shortages because, according to the US government, people were looking for part-time work and not coming to work – as a result thousands of flights were cancelled. Another example: The budget pays for food assistance for more than 40 million Americans – one in eight people in the United States depend on it. Money is transferred to a debit card. However, people can no longer shop because no money is transferred.
Have your household problems been resolved?
No, after the budget before the budget: the interim budget now brought forward should only last until the end of January. Until then, the actual budget remains to be decided, and there will likely be a heated battle over it. Otherwise, the country will again experience the same situation from February onwards: without a budget, the government will again experience a shutdown.
Who emerged stronger from the dispute?
This currently remains unclear: Overall, surveys show that a majority of Americans have repeatedly blamed the ruling Republican Party for the negative impacts of the government shutdown. But the fact that some Democrats in the Senate have now given up without reaching a binding fix on the controversial issue of health insurance has angered the party’s base. Now there is a threat of discord in direction and personnel on the part of the opposition. The Democratic minority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, also came under particular criticism.
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