Washington– President Donald Trump signed the government funding bill Wednesday night, and it expires Standard close of 43 days This has caused financial strain on federal employees who have not been paid, stranded dozens of travelers at airports, and caused long lines at some food banks.
The shutdown amplified partisan divisions in Washington as Trump took unprecedented unilateral actions — including canceling projects and trying to fire federal employees — to pressure Democrats to back down from their demands.
The Republican president blamed the situation on Democrats and suggested voters would not reward the party during next year’s midterm elections.
“So I just want to say to the American people, don’t forget this,” Trump said. He added: “When we get to the midterm elections and other things, don’t forget what they did to our country.”
The signing ceremony came just hours after the House of Representatives passed the measure by a vote of 222 to 209. The Senate had already approved the measure on Monday.
Democrats wanted an enhanced term extension Tax credit It expires at the end of the year, which reduces the cost of health coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces. They refused to approve a short-term spending bill that did not include that priority. But Republicans said it was a separate political battle that would be held at another time.
“We’ve been telling you for 43 days from bitter experience that a government shutdown doesn’t work,” said Rep. Tom Cole, Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “They never achieved the goal you proclaim. And guess what? You haven’t achieved that goal yet, and you never will.”
The frustration and stress of the shutdown was reflected when lawmakers debated the spending measure on the House floor.
Republicans said Democrats sought to exploit the pain caused by the shutdown to achieve victory in a political dispute.
“They knew it would hurt, and they did it anyway,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
Democrats said Republicans raced to pass tax breaks earlier this year, most of which they say would benefit the wealthy. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said the bill before the House on Wednesday “leaves families twisting in the wind with no guarantee that there will ever be a vote to extend tax credits to help ordinary people pay for their health care.”
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said that Democrats will not give up on extending support even if the vote does not go their way.
“This fight is far from over,” Jeffries said. “We’re just getting started.”
The House of Representatives has not been in legislative session since September 19, when it convened Passed a short-term measure To keep the government open when the new budget year begins in October. Johnson sent lawmakers home after that vote and put the onus on the Senate to act, saying House Republicans had done their job.
This legislation comes as a result of an agreement reached Eight senators defected With Democrats after reaching the conclusion that Republicans would not bend to using government funding to issue a bill to extend health care tax credits.
This compromise funds three annual spending bills and extends the rest of government funding until January 30. Republicans have promised a vote by mid-December to extend health care subsidies, but there is no guarantee of success.
The bill includes a reversal Fired federal workers By the Trump administration since the start of the shutdown. It also protects federal workers from further layoffs during January and ensures they will receive their wages once the shutdown ends. The Agriculture Department’s bill means people who rely on key food assistance programs will have those benefits funded without the threat of being cut off during the rest of the budget year.
The package includes $203.5 million to enhance security for lawmakers and an additional $28 million for security for Supreme Court justices.
Democrats also decried language in the bill that would give senators the opportunity to file a lawsuit when a federal agency or employee searches their electronic records without notifying them, allowing potential damages of up to $500,000 for each violation.
The language appears intended to help Republican senators get damages if their phone records are It was analyzed by the FBI As part of the investigation into Trump’s coup efforts His loss in the 2020 elections. These rulings also drew criticism from Republicans. Johnson said he was “very angry about that.”
“This was brought up at the last minute, and I didn’t appreciate it, and neither did most members of the House,” Johnson said. He promised a vote on the issue early next week.
However, the biggest point of contention has been the fate of the expiring enhanced tax credit that makes health insurance more affordable through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces.
“It’s a subsidy on top of a subsidy. Our friends added it during the coronavirus,” Cole said. “The coronavirus is over. They have set a firm date when the support will run out. They chose history.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the enhanced tax credit is intended to give more people access to health care and no Republicans voted for it.
“All they’ve done is try to block access to health care in our country,” Pelosi said. “The country is catching up with them.”
Without the enhanced tax credit, insurance premiums on average would more than double for millions of Americans. The Congressional Budget Office predicted that more than two million people will lose health insurance coverage completely next year.
It is unclear whether the two sides will find any common ground on health care before the December vote in the Senate. Johnson said he would not commit to raising the matter in his council.
Some Republicans said they were open to an extension Tax breaks in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic With insurance premiums rising for millions of people, they also want to impose new restrictions on who can get benefits. Some argue that tax dollars allocated to plans should be directed through individuals rather than going directly to insurance companies.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Monday she supports extending the tax credits with changes, such as new income caps. Some Democrats have indicated they might be open to the idea.
House Democrats expressed great doubt that the Senate’s efforts would lead to a breakthrough.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Republicans have wanted to repeal health reform for the past 15 years. “This is where they’re trying to go,” she said.
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Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the federal government shutdown on https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown.