The House of Representatives is on the brink of ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which has dragged on for 43 days. A federal funding bill that would extend spending through January 30 is set to undergo a final vote in the 7 p.m. hour on Wednesday. The legislation, which passed the House on Sept. 19, faces potential hurdles as GOP lawmakers must secure enough votes to approve it without Democratic support. Despite a razor-thin majority, House Republicans are expressing confidence in their ability to pass the bill, with several key figures such as Steve Scalise and Tom Cole signaling support.
House lawmakers are set to take a procedural vote in the 5 p.m. hour on whether to allow debate on the measure. If the legislation survives, a final vote is expected in the 7 p.m. hour. The government has been shut down for 43 days as Democrats and Republicans hotly debated the merits of the GOP’s initial federal funding bill, a short-term extension of fiscal year (FY) 2025 spending levels through Nov. 21.
The vast majority of Democrats are still against the legislation, including House Democratic leadership, but GOP lawmakers across several ideologically diverse factions have signaled confidence in a nearly unified Republican vote. House Freedom Caucus Policy Chairman Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he heard no dissent on the bill from his band of fiscal hawks.