Washington DC [US], February 4: The US House of Representatives on Tuesday (local time) voted to end the partial government shutdown, approving legislation that funds most federal agencies through the remainder of the fiscal year while extending financing for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for an additional 10 days, The Hill reported.
According to The Hill, the measure was passed by a narrow 217-214 vote and has been sent to US President Donald Trump for his signature, which is expected to formally end the four-day shutdown that began on Saturday.
The vote was bipartisan but closely divided: 21 Republicans voted against the bill, and 21 Democrats supported it, while Democratic leadership opposed the package.
The bill's passage followed intense negotiations and a dramatic procedural vote earlier in the day, as Republican leaders worked to secure support from lawmakers who had raised objections to separate voting legislation.
The funding package, described as a "minibus", includes full-year appropriations for five federal agencies and provides temporary funding for DHS through February 13, as Democrats continue to press for changes to US immigration enforcement policies, The Hill reported.
According to The Hill, the legislation also funds several major departments through September 30, the end of the current fiscal year.
These include the US Departments of Energy, Defence, Treasury, State, Labour, Transportation, Health and Human Services, and Education, along with the judicial branch and a range of independent agencies, as reported by The Hill.
The House had passed all six appropriations bills earlier in January, but the package stalled in the Senate after Democrats objected to immigration enforcement practices, particularly following the killing of a Minneapolis intensive care unit nurse during a federal operation last month.
The current compromise emerged after negotiations between the White House and senior Senate Democrats, following a turbulent week in Congress that forced Republicans to abandon plans to advance the full six-bill funding package in one move, The Hill reported.
The US House Democratic leaders largely withheld support until shortly before the final vote, focusing instead on procedural hurdles and pressuring Republicans to secure passage of the rule governing debate on the bill.
Source: Times of Oman
