US govt shutdown ends after three days

The US senate voted overwhelmingly on Monday to end the three-day government shutdown and reopen funding for the federal government till February 8.

A government shutdown occurs when congress and the president fail to pass appropriations legislation funding government operations and agencies.

Democrats agreed to vote along with the Republicans to end the three-day stalemate after they secured assurance from Republican leaders to address the fate of young, undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers.

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic party leader, said “in a few hours, the government will reopen. We have a lot to do”.

Speaking on the senate floor, Schumer announced that he and Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, had “come to an arrangement” to adopt the three-week spending measure while continuing to negotiate a “global agreement”.

According to him, that agreement will include the fate of the Dreamers – undocumented immigrants brought to the country by their parents as children.

Monday’s vote came after a frantic weekend of work by a bipartisan group of more than 20 senators, who on Sunday night discussed a plan in which the government would stay open through early February.

This was in addition to a promise from McConnell to allow a vote on a measure to protect the Dreamers from deportation.

Responding to the development, Trump said: “I am pleased that Democrats in Congress have come to their senses and are now willing to fund our great military, border patrol, first responders, and insurance for vulnerable children.

“As I have always said, once the government is funded, my administration will work toward solving the problem of very unfair illegal immigration.

“We will make a long-term deal on immigration if, and only if, it is good for our country.”