After a period of intense political brinkmanship that pushed desperate Americans to the brink, a deal has finally been reached to re-open the U.S. government. The news of a political breakthrough in the Senate comes as a collective sigh of relief for federal workers and vulnerable citizens, including the military whose paychecks were in jeopardy. However, this resolution is far from unifying, exposing deep fractures within the Democratic party and raising serious concerns about key social programs and military readiness. This article breaks down the political maneuvering, the key regulations involved, and the lasting effects of this high-stakes deal.
Summary of the Deal
The agreement centers on securing the 60-vote threshold needed in the Senate to break a filibuster and move a funding bill forward. The necessary votes were secured when a coalition of Senate Democrats, including former New England governors Senators Jean Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, and Independent Angus King, agreed to back the measure.
The deal provided what are described as “major concessions,” which allowed these moderate Democrats to join all Republicans. Crucially, the agreement would reverse federal layoffs (“riffs”) and restore funding to the SNAP program (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). The final package, often referred to as a “minibus,” also includes full-year appropriations for Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA). While this outcome ensures government operations resume, it has been described as a “betrayal” by the progressive wing of the Democratic party for failing to secure a related agreement on healthcare.
Timeline of the Situation
- Shutdown: The government enters a shutdown as Congress fails to pass funding bills. Federal workers are furloughed and critical services face disruption.
- Military Pay Crisis: Active-duty military personnel are required to serve without a guaranteed paycheck, relying on special legislative measures or fund reallocation to receive pay on time.
- Deal Secured: A deal is privately reached in the Senate with the promise of key concessions (SNAP, federal riffs, MilCon funding) to gain moderate Democratic support.
- Test Vote: The Senate plans a test vote to move to proceed on the bill. If successful, this vote confirms the 60-vote threshold has been met.
- Debate Period: A motion to proceed can technically invoke 20 to 30 hours of debate after a procedural vote.
- Amendment Vote: A subsequent vote is required to amend the clean Continuing Resolution (CR) sent by the House, specifically targeting three appropriation bills (Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, Agriculture-FDA, and Legislative Branch). This vote invokes another potential 30 hours of debate.
- Potential Reopening: If the Senate Democrats agree to yield back their time, the government could reopen as early as tomorrow night. If opponents choose to drag the process out, the reopening may be delayed until Thursday, depending on the House’s schedule.
Regulations and Key Concessions
The resolution to reopen the government involves amending the funding structure through the appropriations process:
- Active Duty Military Pay: While active-duty personnel are “excepted” and required to work, their regular paychecks are not automatically guaranteed during a shutdown. The Administration had to take extraordinary measures, such as reallocating existing funds, to ensure troops were paid on the last few paydays. This resolution, once passed, ensures the resumption of normal appropriation-funded pay.
- Clean CR Amendment: The Senate is poised to amend the “clean CR” (Continuing Resolution) sent over by the House.
- Three Amended Bills (The “Minibus”): The final bill is expected to include full-year appropriations for three of the twelve spending bills:
- Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA): This provides essential funding for major military construction projects, such as bases, hospitals, and barracks, as well as funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Agriculture-FDA: This bill houses crucial funding for the SNAP program (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
- Legislative Branch: This funds Congress and its support agencies.
- SNAP and MilCon Inclusion: The inclusion of crucial funding for SNAP and the MilCon-VA bill was a central element required by the moderate Democrats to support the deal, ensuring that both vulnerable Americans and national security infrastructure would not face prolonged disruption.
Effect This Situation Has
The effects of this deal are dual-edged: immediate relief versus long-term policy concerns.
- Immediate Relief and Military Pay Security: Federal workers, veterans, and vulnerable Americans who rely on programs like SNAP are breathing a sigh of relief as the immediate crisis ends and funding is restored. Critically, the uncertainty surrounding active-duty military pay is resolved, and personnel are ensured their paychecks will arrive on schedule. Military construction projects and VA services will also resume with full-year funding certainty.
- Progressive Backlash & Healthcare Crisis: The most significant fallout is the backlash from progressive leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Khazar, who called the resolution a “betrayal.” Democrats had initially held out for an agreement on healthcare, which was ultimately excluded.
- ACA Premium Hike Risk: Senator Sanders warned that because of what was not included, the measure’s success could cause over 20 million Americans to see at least a doubling in their Affordable Care Act (ACA) premiums. This potential effect shifts the focus from the shutdown’s end to a looming healthcare affordability crisis.
- Political Division: The deal solidified the division within the Democratic caucus, highlighting a chasm between moderates prioritizing the government’s immediate reopening and progressives demanding broader social policy reforms.
Conclusion
The vote to reopen the U.S. government marks an end to a painful shutdown but serves as a clear indicator of the deep, often hostile, political divisions governing Washington. While a short-term crisis was averted by securing key funding for federal employees, veterans, and critical programs like SNAP and MilCon, and restoring certainty to military pay, the political cost is high. The exclusion of healthcare provisions, and the risk of soaring ACA premiums, suggests that the political battle has simply shifted, not concluded. The coming weeks will test the stability of this resolution and the future priorities of Congress.
Watch the full video report here: Deal reached to re open US government after desperate Americans are pushed to the brink
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