Longest government shutdown in history nears likely end as House moves on funding bill
The end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is finally in sight, with the House of Representatives set to vote on a federal funding bill later Wednesday evening.House...
By Fox News · Fox News
The end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is finally in sight, with the House of Representatives set to vote on a federal funding bill later Wednesday evening. House lawmakers are set to take a procedural vote in the 5 p.m. hour on whether to allow debate on the measure. If the legislation survives, a final vote is expected in the 7 p.m. hour. The government has been shut down for 43 days as Democrats and Republicans hotly debated the merits of the GOP's initial federal funding bill, a short-term extension of fiscal year (FY) 2025 spending levels through Nov. 21. The vast majority of Democrats are still against the legislation, including House Democratic leadership, but GOP lawmakers across several ideologically diverse factions have signaled confidence in a nearly unified Republican vote. THE 5 LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS IN HISTORY: WHAT HAPPENED, HOW THEY ENDED House Freedom Caucus Policy Chairman Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he heard no dissent on the bill from his band of fiscal hawks. "I'm not going to speak for everybody, but I think there's general support. So you know, I'm unaware of any opposition of significance," he told reporters Tuesday night. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said, "Nothing's ever easy around here. But, look, I didn't notice any dissent … I think the votes will be there on our side." BILL TO END GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN SURVIVES KEY HURDLE BEFORE HOUSE-WIDE VOTE But with a razor-thin majority, House GOP leaders can only afford to lose two Republican votes at most to pass the bill without relying on any Democrats. "I'm very hopeful," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise , R-La., told Fox News Digital when asked if Republicans had the votes to pass the bill. "I think you're seeing just a few Democrats come to their senses. It should be a lot more." Meanwhile, the shutdown's effects on the country have grown more severe by the day. Many of the thousands of air traffic controllers and Transportation Securi…