US senators reached a bipartisan deal on Sunday that would resume federal funding and end a shutdown which has stretched to a record 40 days and forced many government operations to grind to a halt, US media reported.
Outlets including CNN and Fox News reported the lawmakers had reached a stopgap agreement to fund the government through January after wrangling over health care subsidies, food benefits and President Donald Trump’s firings of federal employees.
As news of the major breakthrough emerged, Trump told reporters when he arrived at the White House after a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, “It looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending.”
According to lawmakers, the bill would restore funding for the SNAP food stamp program which helps more than 42 million lower-income Americans pay for groceries.
It would also reverse Trump’s firings of thousands of federal workers over the past month, and assure a vote on extending health care subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year. (AFP)
