U.S. House Approves Deal to End Partial Government Shutdown

The U.S. House of Representatives has narrowly passed a bipartisan deal aimed at ending the current partial U.S. government shutdown. The legislation now awaits the signature of President Donald Trump to become law. If signed, the funding for defense, healthcare, labor, education, housing, and other agencies will be restored, with temporary funding extended for the Department of Homeland Security.

This move comes after funding for these agencies expired last Saturday, leading to no major disruptions in government services. The deal had already cleared the Senate with a wide bipartisan margin and was passed in the House with a tight vote of 217-214. Notably, 21 Republicans voted against the deal, while 21 Democrats supported it.

The debate is partly fueled by Democratic calls for tempered immigration enforcement following the recent deaths of two U.S. citizens by federal agents. At the same time, some Republicans attempted to include stricter voting requirements in the bill but were unsuccessful. As the Republicans hold a slim majority in the House, they face the challenge of maintaining party unity in the face of opposition.