House advances bill to end government shutdown with hours until final vote
The record-breaking U.S. government shutdown appears to be on a glide path to finally ending after 43 days.Federal funding legislation aimed at opening the government survived a key test vote...
By Fox News · Fox News
The record-breaking U.S. government shutdown appears to be on a glide path to finally ending after 43 days. Federal funding legislation aimed at opening the government survived a key test vote in the House later Wednesday, teeing it up for final passage in a matter of hours. That means the bill could hit President Donald Trump's desk as soon as Wednesday night, likely ending what has been the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The White House announced that Trump would sign the bill in a statement of administration policy obtained by Fox News Digital. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ISSUE DESPERATE PLEA AS FAMILIES STRUGGLE WITHOUT PAYCHECKS "The Administration urges every Member of Congress to support this responsible, good faith product to finally put an end to the longest shutdown in history," the statement read. The bill advanced through a procedural hurdle known as a rule vote, which is where lawmakers decide whether to allow legislation to get debated before a final vote on passage. Rule votes generally fall along partisan lines and are not an indication of whether a bill will be bipartisan. THE 5 LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS IN HISTORY: WHAT HAPPENED, HOW THEY ENDED The vast majority of House Democrats still oppose the bill, but it's possible that at least several moderates will defy their leaders to support it. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., reiterated to reporters hours before the vote that Democrats were frustrated the bill did not do anything about COVID-19 pandemic-era healthcare subsidies under Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Those enhanced tax credits are set to expire this year. "House Democrats are here on the Capitol steps to reiterate our strong opposition to this spending bill, because it fails to address the Republican healthcare crisis and it fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credit," Jeffries said. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. , sounded optimistic in comments to reporters on Wednesday morning ahead…