Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced the House of Representatives has approved bills aimed at ending the partial federal government shutdown.
Higgins said, “This shutdown has been an unnecessary crisis manufactured by the President. Today the new Democratic House showed leadership in asserting its authority as an equal branch of government. We hope the Senate joins us in standing up for federal workers and restoring an operational government for the people of this country.”
The House approved a legislative package, H.R. 21, which includes funding, through September 30, 2019, for five of the six areas impacted by the partial shutdown: Agriculture-Rural Development-Food and Drug Administration, Commerce-Justice-Science, Financial Services-General Government, Interior-Environment, Department of State-Foreign Operations, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. The bill also includes pay for the 800,000 federal employees unable to work or working without pay since the shutdown on December 22, 2018.
A separate resolution, H.J. Res 1, approved by the House provides continuing appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security through February 8, 2019 to allow for additional time for discussion between Congress and the Administration on border security.
The legislation now moves to the Senate for a vote.
