Copyright The New York Times
The House on Wednesday gave final passage to a spending package to reopen the government, sending the legislation to President Trump’s desk and all but guaranteeing an end to the longest shutdown in the nation’s history. The 222-to-209 vote came on Day 43 of the shutdown and days after eight senators in the Democratic caucus broke their own party’s blockade and joined Republicans in allowing the spending measure to move forward, prompting a bitter backlash in their ranks. It was the first time the House had held a vote in nearly two months, as it took an extended recess during the shutdown. Six Democrats joined Republicans in approving the bill. Only two Republicans voted against it, Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Greg Steube of Florida. Mr. Trump has said he will sign the bill into law. His budget office championed it in a statement on Wednesday as devoid of “any of the partisan, ‘poison pill’ provisions demanded by the Democrats.” That was a reference to what had been Democrats’ chief demand in the shutdown fight, the extension of federal health care subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. Most congressional Republicans strongly oppose such an extension. And while Mr. Trump had initially shown a flash of interest in brokering a bipartisan deal on the issue, as the shutdown dragged on he made it clear that he had no interest in negotiating. His refusal to do so ultimately led a critical group of Democrats in the Senate to conclude that with hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed, millions of Americans at risk of losing food assistance and millions more facing air-travel disruptions, it was time to find an off-ramp from the shutdown. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
