Senate โPlans Series of Votes toโ End Record Shutdown
WASHINGTON – The Senate is preparing a series โof votes to end the historic โฃ35-day partial government shutdown, withโฃ a potential dealโ gaining momentum despite โlingering opposition from both โขparties. senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced plans for votes this week, promisingโ at leastโ 24-hour notice before โany action, โฃthough aโฃ specificโข timeline remains unclear.
The shutdown, triggered by a dispute overโฃ funding for aโฃ wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, has left hundreds โฃof thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay and disrupted government services nationwide. Any agreement reached in both chambers would require President Donaldโ Trump‘s signature to become law, and โคTrump indicated he is inclined to support a deal, stating, “If it’s the deal I heard aboutโฆ I wouldโ say so.” Heโค added, “I think, basedโฃ on everything I’m hearing, they haven’t changed anything, and we haveโฃ support from โenough Democrats, and we’re going โขto be opening up our country.”
The potential agreement reportedly includes a reversal of layoffs ofโข federal workers initiated by the Trump management during the shutdown.โ However, House Democrats, led by Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, remain opposed to the spending โbill passed by the Senate, arguing it would “gut the health care of the American โคpeople” andโ fail to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits.
In the House, Speaker Mikeโ Johnson intends to swear in Adelita Grijalva of Arizona โupon the โchamber’s return. Johnson had previously refused to swear her in until Senate Democrats agreed to reopen the government. Once sworn in,Grijalva’s vote would provide the 218th signatureโ needed โto force a vote โon compelling the release of โfiles related to theโ Jeffrey โคEpstein sex-abuse โcase.
