US Government Shutdown: House Set to Vote on Historic Funding Deal

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The US House of Representatives is poised to end the longest government shutdown in history, with a vote scheduled for Wednesday on a stopgap funding package. The deal aims to restart disrupted food assistance, pay hundreds of thousands of federal workers, and revive the hobbled air-traffic control system. A narrow Republican majority in the House, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, is expected to hold together due to President Donald Trump's support for the bill. However, House Democrats remain opposed, citing the Senate's deal as an unacceptable compromise after a long standoff over federal health insurance subsidies. The Senate's deal, which extends funding until January 30, has added $1.8 trillion to the federal debt, which now stands at $38 trillion. The House Democrats are adamant that the Senate deal has created a "mess" in the US, with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries stating that 'they own the mess that has been created in the United States of America.' A recent poll suggests that 50% of Americans blame Republicans, while 47% blame Democrats, for the shutdown. If the House votes in favor of the funding package, it must be signed into law by Trump, who has expressed support for the bill. The House's return to session also means that Speaker Johnson could face a vote to release unclassified records related to Jeffrey Epstein, a move he and Trump have resisted until now. The funding package also includes provisions that would allow eight Republican senators to seek damages for alleged privacy violations stemming from the federal investigation of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. The funding vote is expected to pass with minimal opposition from Republicans, with some members expressing support for the deal. The outcome is seen as a crucial step towards ending the longest government shutdown in US history.