Input Stories

The House will vote this evening on a package that would end the federal government shutdown, following passage in the Senate on Monday (CNBC).

• “We’ll start the process probably around four, five o’clock. The actual vote on the bill to fund the government will probably come later, around seven o’clock,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) said.

The background: The shutdown, which has lasted more than six weeks and resulted in the furlough of thousands of federal workers, also led to the suspension of SNAP benefits and massive upheaval at airports across the country.

The spending bill: The new measure is a stopgap that would fund the government through Jan. 30 and also “provide funding for agriculture, military programs and legislative agencies, while also providing back pay for workers affected by the shutdown.”

• The bill does not include the extension of Obamacare tax credits that Democrats had demanded as a condition for reopening the government, but “includes a guarantee from Republican leadership that the Senate will vote on a health care bill drafted by Democrats before the second week of December” (CNBC).

What to expect: Rep. Scalise told CNBC that he expects enough Democrats to join Republicans to get the bill passed. President Trump has signaled that he will sign the bill if so.

What to expect if traveling: It will take days following the reopening of the government for airlines to resume normal service, due to the extent of the disruptions (The New York Times, subscription).  

• Last Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration directed airlines to reduce flights by 4% at 40 of the country’s busiest airports. Combined with a shortage of roughly 3,000 air traffic controllers, the cuts contributed to thousands of flight cancellations over the weekend.
• On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of “massively more disruption” in air travel if the shutdown continues into the weekend (The Hill).

The NAM says: On Monday, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons thanked legislators for advancing the spending bill, saying, “Manufacturers need a functioning government to keep making things in America. When manufacturing wins, America wins.”

• The NAM and many of its state partner associations called on Congress last month to reopen the government, saying, “With each passing day, the American people suffer new losses, and businesses remain stuck in neutral. It is time to move forward and allow the federal government to get back to work for Americans and their communities.”