Government shutdown live updates: House, Senate approve stop-gap funding bill

The United States government is currently facing a partial shutdown, as Congress failed to pass a funding bill before the deadline at midnight on Friday. However, there have been some recent developments in the ongoing negotiations, with both the House and Senate approving a stop-gap funding bill to keep the government running for a few more weeks.

The House of Representatives passed a short-term funding bill on Friday night, which would keep the government open until February 18th. The bill passed with a vote of 221-212, with most Democrats voting in favor and nearly all Republicans voting against it. The Senate followed suit on Saturday, passing the bill with a vote of 66-28.

The stop-gap funding bill includes funding for various government agencies and programs, including funding for the military, transportation, and health care. It also includes funding to help with the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as funding for disaster relief efforts.

The passage of the stop-gap funding bill comes after weeks of negotiations and disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over government spending. Democrats have been pushing for additional funding for various programs, while Republicans have been pushing for spending cuts and other measures to reduce the national debt.

The government shutdown has already started to have an impact on various government agencies and programs, with thousands of federal employees facing furloughs or working without pay. National parks and museums have also been closed, and some government services have been disrupted.

With the passage of the stop-gap funding bill, the government will remain open for the time being, but the situation remains fluid as negotiations continue. It is unclear how long the funding bill will keep the government running, and whether there will be a more permanent solution to the ongoing funding issues.

In the meantime, government agencies and employees are continuing to operate as usual, and essential services are still being provided to the American people. However, the uncertainty and instability caused by the government shutdown are a cause for concern, and many are hoping for a swift resolution to the funding issues facing the government.