After sixteen long worrisome days for many non-working Americans, Congress finally approved the bill to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling until Feb 7, enabling the U.S to continue borrowing money and allowing a bulk of our federal workers to return to work today.
Only hours before the United States depleted its power to borrow money, which would of left the economy in greater disarray, President Obama’s 35-page bill to reopen the government was approved by the Senate with an 81 to 18 vote followed by the House of Representatives vote of 285-144 in only two hours. According to the Washington Post Obama announced from the White House, “Once this agreement arrives on my desk I will sign it immediately and we will begin reopening the government immediately, and we can begin to lift this cloud of uncertainty and unease from our businesses and the American people.”
The defeated Republicans were upset to learn that after many weeks of trying to force changes in the law, the Senate opposed to making major alterations to the Affordable Care Act. Democrat victory was acknowledged by Ohio Republican House speaker John A. Boehner when he states in an interview, “We fought the good fight; we just didn’t win.”
Yahoo News reports that not only does the bill prolong government funding until Jan. 15th and raise the debt ceiling until Feb 7th but it also “strengthens income verification requirements for those who sign up for insurance under Obamacare, and it would provide time for both parties to appoint lawmakers to a conference committee to reconcile a broad budget resolution.”
Obama’s signature on the bill will end the nation's first government shutdown in 17 years, and give lawmakers more time to negotiate a broader package of spending reforms.