The United States entered a partial government shutdown at midnight on Saturday (5:00 GMT), with a rapid resolution expected as the House of Representatives prepares to vote on a relevant bill on Monday.
اضافة اعلان
Following three months of the longest government shutdown in US history, this new shutdown arose after Democratic opposition refused to approve a proposed budget for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without imposing restrictions on immigration enforcement, following the recent killing of two US citizens by DHS officers in Minneapolis.
A few hours earlier, the Senate had passed a financial bill intended to limit the duration of the federal government closure, which is set to be voted on in the House early this week.
As a result, the impact of this shutdown is expected to be minimal, likely lasting no more than the weekend, without requiring large numbers of federal employees to be placed on furlough.
“No Secret Police”
On Friday evening, the White House Office of Management and Budget instructed federal agencies to prepare for the shutdown while expressing “hope” that it would be brief.
The text approved Friday in the Senate by a vote of 71-29 represents an agreement between President Donald Trump and Senate Democrats, who opposed passing the DHS budget without reforms to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, which they consider out of control after the Minneapolis incidents.
The agreement allows five of the six sections of the budget to pass, while the DHS section will undergo further negotiations over the next two weeks.
Since the Senate version differs from the one previously approved by the House, it must be returned to the House for final approval before being sent to Trump to be signed into law.
Last week, it seemed likely that the bill would pass before the January 31 deadline, but Saturday’s events in Minneapolis changed the situation.
The killing of Alex Pritty by federal security officers in Minneapolis sparked political outrage. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for negotiations with Republicans to reach “strong and reasonable” measures aimed at “reining in ICE and ending violence.”
Schumer specifically demanded a halt to “roving patrols” and forbade immigration officers from operating while masked, declaring at a press conference: “No secret police.”
43-Day Precedent
Passing a financial bill in the Senate requires 60 votes out of 100, forcing Republicans, despite holding the majority, to gain support from some Democrats to pass their budget proposal.
Although the shutdown began at midnight, it is unlikely to replicate the October-November standoff, which lasted 43 days over funding for the “Obamacare” program covering low-income Americans. That previous shutdown disrupted vital economic sectors, placed hundreds of thousands of federal employees on furlough, and forced essential workers to continue working without pay until the closure ended.
The earlier shutdown concluded only when some Senate Democrats agreed to vote on a budget negotiated with Republicans, in exchange for promises of concessions on healthcare funding, drawing criticism from party supporters who wanted stronger opposition to Trump.
AFP
