After the U.S. Senate voted Monday to fund the government through the end of January, the House is set to return for the first time in more than seven weeks.
House Republicans say they are expected to consider a resolution to reopen the government on Wednesday. The first votes could occur as early as 4 p.m. that day.
The last time the House was fully in session was Sept. 19. Since then, the chamber has only been open for so-called pro forma sessions, when no roll call votes are taken.
With the House resuming legislative business, Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., will be sworn in. Grijalva won a special election in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District in late September, but House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to swear her in, saying it was because the House was not in session — a situation prolonged by the shutdown.
Grijalva had pushed to be sworn in sooner, as she was left without a formal congressional office during the shutdown.
House Democrats upset with deal
While it appears there will be enough Republican votes to pass the resolution, House Democrats expressed frustration with eight Senate Democrats who joined Republicans in supporting it. Democrats had said they would not approve a resolution without a deal to keep health care tax subsidies.
But as the shutdown lingered, and its effects began to hit the nation’s airports and food banks, eight Democrats joined 52 Republicans in voting for a continuing resolution to fund the government.
Democrats secured several concessions, including a promise to consider health care legislation and assurances that there would be no mass layoffs in the federal government.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the ranking member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, criticized the eight Senate Democrats for approving the bill.
“It is outrageous that a few Senate Democrats have joined Republicans in undermining our fight to prevent health care costs from skyrocketing,” she said. “I will fight against this bill here in the House.”Once the resolution passes the House, it will go to President Donald Trump for his signature. Once signed, the government shutdown would officially end.
