Bill to end government shutdown survives key hurdle before House-wide vote
The House will vote on reopening the federal government Wednesday after lawmakers’ funding bill survived a key hurdle earlier in the morning.The bipartisan deal to end the 42-day government shutdown advanced through the House Rules Committee overnight Wednesday, with all Republicans supporting the measure and all Democrats against.It now moves to the full House for consideration, where multiple people familiar with GOP leaders’ conversations told Fox News Digital they believe it will pass with nearly all Republicans on board.Passage through the House Rules Committee is a meaningful step toward ending the shutdown, now the longest in US history by roughly a week.The panel’s hearing to advance the bill lasted more than six hours, kicking off Wednesday evening and ending shortly after 1 a.m.on Thursday.Democrats attempted to force votes on amendments dealing with COVID-19-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year and other issues opposed by the GOP, though all failed.House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, made a notable surprise appearance at one point, testifying in favor of his own amendment to extend those subsidies for another three years.The lengthy hearing saw members on opposite sides of the aisle clash several times as well, with Democrats repeatedly accusing Republicans of robbing Americans of their healthcare and taking a “vacation” for several weeks while remaining in their districts during the shutdown.“I am sick and tired of hearing you all say we had an eight-week vacation,” House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-NC, said at one point.
“I worked every day.I don’t know about you.
I don’t want to hear another soul say that.”Democrats and some Republicans also piled on a provision in the funding bill that would allow GOP senators to sue the federal government for $500,000 for secretly obtaining their phone records during ex-Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation.“I think t...