Lawmakers returned to Washington on Tuesday (November 11th), after a 53-day recess, facing crowded airports across the country for a vote that could end the longest US government shutdown in history.

With more than 1,000 flights canceled on Tuesday due to the shutdown, lawmakers, including Republicans Rick Crawford of Arkansas and Trent Kelly of Mississippi, said they would drive to the Capitol, while Representative Derrick Van Orden said he would drive 16 hours from Wisconsin on his motorcycle.

"It's going to be a little cold, but I'm going to do my job," the Republican said in a video posted to social media. The Republican-controlled House is scheduled to vote Wednesday afternoon on a compromise that would restore funding to government agencies and end the government shutdown that began on October 1st and has now entered its 42nd day. The Republican-controlled Senate approved the deal Monday night, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hoped it would also pass his chamber.

President Donald Trump called the deal "very good" and is expected to sign it into law. The deal would extend funding through January 30, clearing the way for another government shutdown and keeping the federal government on track to continue adding to its $38 trillion debt.

Within days, the U.S. government could be fully operational again, providing relief for federal employees who lost pay and low-income families who rely on food subsidies. However, it will take several days for the nation's air travel system to return to normal.

The deal has divided Democrats, who had previously sought to extend healthcare subsidies for 24 million Americans through the end of the year, when they are set to expire. Senate Republicans have agreed to hold a separate vote on the subsidies in December, but there is no guarantee they will pass the chamber, and Johnson has not said whether the House will hold a vote.

Johnson has kept the House of Representatives in session since passing a stopgap funding bill on September 19, in an attempt to pressure Senate Democrats to reopen the government. The Democratic Party's liberal base reacted angrily, arguing that Senate Democrats had given up a fight they were winning.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll in late October found that 50% of Americans blame Republicans for the government shutdown, while 43% blame Democrats. Trump has unilaterally canceled billions of dollars in spending and cut the pay of hundreds of thousands of federal employees, violating Congress's constitutional authority over fiscal matters.

The deal does not appear to include specific guardrails to prevent Trump from enacting further budget cuts. However, it would hamper his campaign to reduce the federal workforce, prohibiting him from firing employees until January 30.

The deal would also ensure that the SNAP food assistance program for the poor, which has been disrupted by the government shutdown, will continue uninterrupted until September 30, 2026, the end of the fiscal year. (alg)

Source: Reuters