The US Senate has one day left to avert a government shutdown, after the GOP-controlled US House voted 230-197 to pass a short-term spending bill to keep the federal government open through to February 16.
The House passed the measure known as a continuing resolution (CR) Thursday night. It reauthorizorizes the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years, and also reauthorizes delays on three taxes under Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The passage of the bill was in doubt, as the right-leaning House Freedom Caucus, which controls 31 seats in the House, took hours to declare their intention to vote for the measure.
Immediately following the vote, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) told reporters that if the government shuts down, it should be blamed on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York).
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“We sincerely hope that cooler heads will prevail,” Ryan said.
The bill now goes to the Senate, where 60 votes are required to move the measure to a final vote. The resolution’s fate in the Senate is more uncertain, because Republicans only have 51 members and Democrats have 49, after the addition of Senator Doug Jones (D-Alabama) who defeated his Republican challenger, Roy Moore, last month.
If the measure is not approved by the Senate before midnight Friday, the US government will be forced to shut down.
Via RT. This piece was reprinted by RINF Alternative News with permission or license.