After forty-one days of shutdown, the U.S. Senate on Monday, November 10 adopted a text aimed at ending the federal government’s blockade, thanks to support from a handful of Democratic Party senators. It is now up to the House of Representatives to decide.
The bill, which passed with 60 votes in favor and 40 votes against, extends the current budget through the end of January. The text must still be debated and adopted starting Wednesday in the House of Representatives, before heading to Donald Trump’s desk for legislation that would officially end the budget paralysis.
Before the vote, the American president was happy to have secured enough Democratic votes in the Senate to break the deadlock. “It’s a shame that the country is closed, but we will reopen our country soon”he told the press at the White House.
The Republican leader of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, also expressed optimism Monday that the paralysis would be overcome. “this week”. “Our long national nightmare is finally coming to an end”he said during a press conference.
Since 1uh In October and the start of the blockade, more than a million civil servants were not paid, certain aid payments were severely disrupted, as was air traffic, with hundreds of flight cancellations every day.
There is no progress in the health sector
At the heart of the dispute between Republicans and Democrats for more than forty days has been the question of health care costs. Donald Trump’s party, which has a majority in Congress, proposed a modest extension of the current budget, while the opposition demanded an extension of subsidies for the health insurance program. Obamacare, primarily aimed at low-income households.
These subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year, and health insurance costs are expected to more than double by 2026 for the 24 million Americans on Obamacare, according to KFF, a think tank specializing in health issues.
Due to current rules in the Senate, multiple Democratic votes are needed to approve the budget even if Republicans have a majority. In total, eight Democratic Party members ultimately approved the new bill.
“Weeks of negotiations with Republicans made it clear they would not address the health care issue” to end this paralysis, confirmed Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who supports the text, in a press release. “Waiting any longer will only prolong the suffering Americans are feeling due to the government shutdown”he added.
Known as centrists, these eight elected opposition officials secured the reversal of the Trump administration’s firing of thousands of federal civil servants since the start of the paralysis.
On the other hand, they were almost empty-handed on the health issue, not citing a subsidy extension in the final text, but only a promise from Senate Republican leaders about holding an upcoming vote on the issue. An empty promise, condemned by many elected Democrats, as the leader of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, refused to commit to planning such a vote.
Gavin Newsom slams “capitulation”
Republican Party “not acting in good faith regarding the health of the American public”accused the Democratic minority leader in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, during a press conference on Monday.
Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom, one of Donald Trump’s main opposition figures, condemned the move. “give up” and one “betrayal” to work in America.
Many elected officials and Democratic Party supporters are now calling for the government to intervene immediately. First target: Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader. If he votes no on Sunday night, he is suspected by many elected officials and Democrats of having encouraged these moderate elected officials to reach a deal with Republicans behind the scenes.
