WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Nov 12) signed legislation ending the longest government shutdown in US history, roughly two hours after the House of Representatives voted to restart disrupted food assistance, pay hundreds of thousands of federal workers and revive a hobbled air-traffic control system.
In lengthy remarks before signing the legislation, Trump said, “It’s an honour now to sign this incredible Bill.”
He said the government should never shut down again, adding, “This is no way to run a country.”
The Republican-controlled chamber passed the package by a vote of 222-209, with President Donald Trump’s support largely keeping his party together in the face of vehement opposition from House Democrats, who are angry that a long standoff launched by their Senate colleagues failed to secure a deal to extend federal health insurance subsidies.
Trump’s signature on the Bill, which cleared the Senate earlier in the week, will bring federal workers idled by the 43-day shutdown back to their jobs starting as early as Thursday, although just how quickly full government services and operations will resume is unclear.
It would extend funding through Jan 30, leaving the federal government on a path to keep adding about US$1.8 trillion a year to its US$38 trillion in debt.
“I feel like I just lived a Seinfeld episode. We just spent 40 days and I still don’t know what the plotline was,” said Republican Representative David Schweikert of Arizona, likening Congress’ handling of the shutdown to the misadventures in a popular 1990s US sitcom.
“I really thought this would be like 48 hours: people will have their piece, they’ll get a moment to have a temper tantrum, and we’ll get back to work.” He added: “What’s happened now when rage is policy?”
He added: “What’s happened now when rage is policy?”
Source: CNA
