The US House will vote Wednesday on a bill to end the longest-ever government shutdown, with Democrats divided and Trump claiming victory.
WASHINGTON: The effort to end the longest-ever US government shutdown heads toward a final House of Representatives vote on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump declared victory in the political standoff as rival Democrats faced internal divisions over the deal.
Trump praised Republican leaders during a Veterans Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, breaking from tradition to score political points.
“We’re opening up our country — it should have never been closed,” Trump said.
He later told ESPN he expected the Republican-controlled House to approve the bill funding the government through January.
Top Democrats have vowed to oppose the government-funding bill because it doesn’t address expiring health insurance subsidies.
The bill is likely to pass the House as Republicans hold a narrow majority.
Trump had piled pressure on Democrats by letting the shutdown be as punishing as possible.
A million federal workers went unpaid while food benefits for low-income Americans came under threat.
Air travelers faced thousands of cancellations and delays ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned the chaos could worsen by weekend if the shutdown persists.
“You’re going to have airlines that make serious calculations about whether they continue to fly, full stop,” Duffy told reporters at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
Polls showed voters increasingly blamed Trump’s party as the shutdown passed its 40th day.
Eight Democrats broke ranks in the Senate on Monday to side with Trump’s Republicans.
“Health care of people all across this country is on the brink of becoming unaffordable,” top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries told reporters.
The deal has split Democrats, with California Governor Gavin Newsom calling it “pathetic” on X.
Democratic Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer faces calls to step down for failing to corral his senators.
The Democratic wavering came just days after election wins that put Trump on the back foot.
Democratic wins in New York City, New Jersey and Virginia highlighted the affordability issue.
Senate Republicans have promised Democrats a vote on health insurance subsidies.
Millions of Americans face doubled “Obamacare” costs without an extension of the subsidies.
The healthcare issue threatens to cause a rift in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” coalition.
Trump said one-time ally Marjorie Taylor Greene had “lost her way” after she criticized potential premium increases. – AFP
