House votes to end three-day government shutdown

WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives on Monday evening voted to end a three-day government shutdown following passage of a short-term spending bill.

The lower chamber approved the measure in a 226-150 vote.

The legislation funds the government through Feb. 8  and reauthorizes the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

The government shut down after midnight on Friday when the Senate failed to reach an agreement on a spending bill that would have maintained funding through Feb. 16.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and most of the Democrats in the upper chamber opposed the legislation because it did not include protections for the more than 700,000 recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The program expires on March 5.

Schumer and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) reached an agreement on Monday prior to a procedural vote that DACA legislation would be considered prior to the expiration of the spending bill.

Hours later the Senate approved the spending bill.

The legislation now heads to the president’s desk.

This article is republished with permission from Talk Media News