The U.S. Congress is Close to Ending Financial Paralysis After More Than 40 Days of Stalemate
On Monday, the U.S. Senate approved a bill aimed at ending a financial impasse that has persisted for over 40 days, pending a vote in the House of Representatives in the coming days.
The bill proposes to extend the current budget until the end of January, having received 60 votes in favor and 40 against. Discussions in the House are expected to begin next Wednesday.
President Donald Trump welcomed the Senate’s vote, praising the support from several Democrats and calling it a step toward resolving the crisis. He stated from the White House, “It’s unfortunate that the shutdown happened, but we will reopen our country very soon.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed optimism, confirming that the financial paralysis crisis may be resolved “this week,” describing it as a “long national nightmare” nearing its end.
Since October 1, over a million federal employees have been working without pay, some social assistance programs have ceased, and air travel has faced widespread disruptions, resulting in hundreds of flight cancellations daily.
The dispute between Republicans and Democrats centers around funding for the health insurance system. Republicans are advocating for a slight extension of the current budget, while Democrats insist on maintaining support for Obamacare programs for low-income families. These subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year, potentially doubling health insurance costs for approximately 24 million Americans by 2026, according to estimates from the KFF research center.
Due to voting rules in the Senate, passing the bill required support from several Democrats, which was achieved with the backing of eight party members.
