Over to Senate as House passes stopgap measure

The US House of Representatives approved a stopgap spending bill on Thursday night to keep the government open past Friday, but Senate Democrats — angered by President Donald Trump’s vulgar aspersions and a lack of progress on a broader budget and immigration deal — appeared ready to block the measure.

The House approved the measure 230-197, despite conflicting signals by Trump sent throughout the day and a threatened rebellion from conservatives that ended up fizzling. But the bill, which would keep the government open through February 16, provided only a faint glimmer of hope that a crisis could be averted before funding was set to expire at midnight Friday.

In the Senate, at least a dozen Democratic votes are needed to approve the measure, and there was little chance that those would materialise. Democrats are intent on securing concessions that would protect from deportation young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children, increase domestic spending, aid Puerto Rico and bolster the response to the opioid crisis.

The Senate held only a procedural vote on the stopgap bill late on Thursday, leaving for Friday a more consequential vote when Democrats are expected to block the measure. NYT

WASHINGTON:

If the president and both Houses are unable to pass a funding proposal, the US federal government and its agencies shut down Government employees become vulnerable to furlough — temporary unpaid leave. "Essential" workers continue working, either with or without pay The processing of passports and visas will cease if the shutdown continues beyond a few days.

All national parks, museums and monuments will close Trump and the two

Houses have been unable to agree on appropriations legislation for funding government operations. To ensure the government remains funded, a stopgap "continuing resolution" has been repeatedly passed. The latest CR has been passed by the House of Representatives but is yet to be passed by the Senate However, all services related to national security and domestic safety will continue to function In October 2013, a US shutdown lasted more than two weeks and more than 800,000 federal employees were furloughed. It cost the US economy an estimated $24 billion