US Senate passes bill to end government shutdown but it still needs to get through House of Representatives

"It next heads to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson has said he would like to pass it as soon as Wednesday and send it on to Trump to sign into law. Trump has called the deal to reopen the government "very good". The deal would extend funding until January 30, leaving the federal government for now on a path to keep adding about $1.8 trillion a year to its $38 trillion in debt."

"Coming a week after Democrats won high-profile elections in New Jersey, Virginia and elected a democratic socialist as the next mayor of New York City, the deal has provoked anger among many Democrats who note there is no guarantee the Republican-controlled Senate or House would agree to extend the health insurance subsidies. "We wish we could do more," said Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the chamber's No. 2 Democrat. "The government shutting down seemed to be an opportunity to lead us to better policy."

The Senate approved a 60-40 funding measure with nearly all Republicans and eight Democrats voting to restore agency funding that lapsed on October 1. The agreement prevents planned federal workforce downsizing and bars layoffs until January 30. The measure schedules a December vote on health insurance subsidies that benefit 24 million Americans but does not guarantee their continuation. The bill moves to the Republican-controlled House for likely swift consideration and President Trump endorsed the reopening. The funding extension keeps the government on a trajectory to add roughly $1.8 trillion a year to its $38 trillion debt and prompted Democratic anger.

Read at Irish Independent