The White House expressed optimism on Wednesday that the longest government shutdown in U.S. history could come to an end later in the evening, as lawmakers appeared ready to send the funding deal to President Donald Trump for his signature.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters, “Tonight, thanks to Republicans, the White House is very hopeful that this shutdown is going to come to an end. President Trump looks forward to finally ending this devastating Democrat shutdown with his signature.”
Leavitt added that Trump may sign the bill in front of reporters. The shutdown has now entered its 43rd day.
The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the funding deal at 7 pm local time (2300 GMT), following the Senate’s 60-40 approval.
The legislation funds the government at previous levels until 30 January and includes three year-long appropriations packages for essential agencies and programmes. It also reinstates federal employees who were furloughed during the shutdown.
The shutdown began on 1 October after negotiations over federal spending priorities broke down. Thousands of federal workers were furloughed or forced to work without pay, while many government services were curtailed or suspended.
Democrats had sought to compel Republicans to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and reverse cuts to the Medicaid programme for lower-income Americans. Neither goal was achieved, with Republicans agreeing only to a later Senate vote on ACA subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.
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U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has a "last chance" to sign what he described as "a good document", claiming talks are continuing at Tehran's request with backing from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Indonesian rescue teams are searching for 28 people still unaccounted for, three days after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Madura island.
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a major wildfire in Greece on Sunday, killing two crew members as emergency services continued efforts to contain fires fuelled by extreme heat and dry conditions across Europe.
At least eight people were killed in overnight Ukrainian drone strikes across Russia, regional officials said, as Kyiv expanded attacks on infrastructure.
Wildfires near Spokane, Washington, have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate. The fires have been burning for a third day around the state’s second-largest city, officials said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed strengthening the European Union’s external borders and increasing support for Morocco following the arrival of around 50,000 migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week.
Drone attacks damaged a warehouse near Russia’s St. Petersburg and struck a cargo ship near Novorossiysk, injuring three crew members, according to Russian and Turkish authorities.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 4th of August, covering the latest developments.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged authorities to increase support for people affected by a record heatwave, as the death toll reached 16.
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