WASHINGTON- President Trump and Republican lawmakers took a victory lap Tuesday after securing bipartisan support to reopen the government, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history without ceding ground on key Democratic demands.
House members were converging on Washington for a final vote expected as early as Wednesday, after 60 senators – including seven Democrats and one independent – advanced the measure Monday evening. Most House Democratic lawmakers are expected to oppose the continuing resolution, which does not include an expansion of Affordable Care Act tax credits that had been a central demand during the shutdown negotiations.
The result, according to independent analysts, is that premiums will more than double on average for the more than 20 million Americans who use the health care marketplace, from an average of $888 to $1,904 for out-of-pocket payments per year, according to KFF.
Senate Democrats who voted to reopen the government said they got a promise from Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, that they would get a vote on extending the tax credits next month.
But the vote is likely to fail along party lines. And even though it got some Republican support, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, made no promises that he would give the measure a vote in the lower chamber.
The end of the shutdown comes at a crucial time for the U.S. aviation industry, heading into one of the busiest travel seasons around the Thanksgiving holiday. The prolonged federal government shutdown has led federal sector employees to call in sick in large numbers, prompting an unprecedented directive from the Federation Aviation Administration that slowed operations at the nation’s largest airports.
Lawmakers are rushing to vote before federal employees working in aviation security lose another paycheck this week, which could increase frustration within their ranks and cause more delays at airports as the next holiday week approaches.
It will be the first time the House has conducted legislative work in more than 50 days, a marathon that has led to a backlog of work for lawmakers on a wide range of issues, from appropriations and securities regulations to a discharge petition calling for the release of records from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
“We look forward to the government reopening this week so that Congress can return to its regular legislative session,” Johnson told reporters Monday. “There will be long days and nights here for the foreseeable future to make up for all this wasted time that has been forced upon us. »
To reopen the government, the spending plan must pass the House, where Republicans hold a slim majority and Democrats have pledged to vote against a deal that does not address health care costs.
Still, Trump and Republican leaders believe they have enough votes to pass it through the House and reopen the government later this week.
Trump called the spending package a “very good” deal and indicated he would sign it once it reaches his desk.
At a Veterans Day event on Tuesday, Trump thanked Thune and Johnson for their work to reopen the government. Johnson was in the crowd listening to Trump’s remarks.
“Congratulations to you, John and everyone on this very big victory,” Trump said in a speech at Arlington National Cemetery. “We are opening our country again. It should never have been closed.”
While Trump hailed the measure as a done deal, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the chamber’s top Democrat, said his party would still try to delay or slow down the legislation with every tool at its disposal.
“House Democrats will strongly oppose any legislation that does not decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” Jeffries said in a CNN interview Tuesday morning.
Just like in the Senate, California Democrats in the House are expected to vote against the shutdown deal because it does not address the expiration of health care subsidies.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi said the shutdown deal reached in the Senate “does not meet the needs of America’s working families” and said she stood with House Democratic leaders in opposing the legislation.
“We must continue to fight for a responsible, bipartisan path that reopens government. And keeps health care affordable for the American people,” Pelosi said in a social media post.
California Republicans in the House, meanwhile, criticized Democrats for trying to block passage of the funding deal.
“These extremists only care about their radical base, regardless of the impact on America,” Rep. Ken Calvert of Corona said in a social media post.
Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) publicly called on Johnson to negotiate with Democrats on health care during the shutdown. He said in an interview last month that he thought there was “a lot of room” to address concerns on both sides about how to address rising health care costs.
Kiley said Monday that he was proposing a bill with Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-San Jose) that proposed extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits for two years.
He said the bill would “halt massive increases in health care costs for 22 million Americans whose premium tax credits are about to expire.”
“It’s important to note that the extension is temporary and fully paid, so it cannot increase the deficit,” Kiley said in reference to a frequently cited Republican concern that the appropriations extension would contribute to the national debt.
