Senators returned to Capitol Hill for an unusual Sunday session as efforts intensified to bring an end to the 40-day government shutdown. While no formal votes were initially scheduled, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that “we plan to vote today” on a funding proposal intended to reopen parts of the government.
The Senate released three draft spending bills covering Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, the Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. Combined, they account for about 10% of overall federal funding.
However, the proposed legislation leaves unresolved the central issue behind the shutdown — the lapse of Affordable Care Act Medicare subsidies. Republicans are expected to attach provisions addressing these subsidies to a short-term continuing resolution, in an effort to draw bipartisan backing and end the standoff that has shuttered portions of the federal government for over a month.
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The prolonged U.S. government shutdown continues to cloud fiscal outlooks, delaying data releases and threatening broader confidence in Washington’s ability to govern effectively
