According to Odaily, on Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve a funding bill aimed at ending the federal government shutdown, which has lasted for a record 43 days. The bill, passed with a vote of 222 to 209, allocates funds to resume food aid programs, compensate hundreds of thousands of federal employees, and restore normal operations of the air traffic control system. The legislation will now be sent to U.S. President Donald Trump for his signature.
Despite ongoing disputes between the two parties over federal healthcare subsidies, the passage of the bill marks a significant step towards reopening the government. President Trump's support played a crucial role in maintaining Republican unity, despite strong opposition from Democrats. The latter expressed frustration as their Senate colleagues failed to secure an agreement to extend federal healthcare subsidies.
The Senate had previously passed the bill, and while both parties have engaged in mutual blame, neither side appears to have achieved a decisive victory. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday indicates that 50% of Americans blame the Republican Party for the shutdown, while 47% attribute it to the Democrats.