Federal institutions in the USA have been paralyzed by the shutdown for 40 days. Congress finally decided to move forward with passing a replacement budget, outlining possible solutions.
Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress took the first concrete step on Sunday to end the partial shutdown of the federal government’s funding, the so-called shutdown, which has already lasted a record 40 days. The Senate voted to discuss the temporary budget approved by the House of Representatives, thereby overcoming an important obstacle, reports TASR according to the DPA and AP agencies.
The proposal was made possible by a group of moderate Democrats who agreed to compromise on major points of contention such as health insurance funding, food benefits and federal furloughs. Many Democratic senators reacted angrily, saying they would continue to fight for their priorities.
Approval may be extended
Sunday night’s “trial” vote was the first of the procedural steps needed to pass the government’s interim budget by January next year. If Democrats continue to object and delay the process, final approval could be days away. After the approval of the Senate, the House of Representatives would have to re-approve the proposal with incorporated changes. President Donald Trump did not directly say whether he agreed with the Senate deal when he returned to the White House on Sunday night. “It looks like we’re getting closer to ending the shutdown,” he said.
Meanwhile, the longest shutdown in U.S. history has continued to cripple federal institutions, leaving workers without pay, threatening food aid and disrupting air travel. More than 2,700 flights were canceled in the country on Sunday and more than 10,000 more were delayed due to government-ordered flight restrictions and the growing absence of dispatchers.
