http://www.cnn.com/?sr=fbmain (click link for full story and video)
Senate approves bill to end shutdown, avert possible defaultQuotegton (CNN) -- An agreement to end the partial government shutdown and avoid a possible U.S. default easily passed the U.S. Senate and headed to the House for a vote expected later Wednesday.
If approved by the Republican-led House, the legislation would go to President Barack Obama to be signed into law by the end of Thursday -- the deadline for increasing the federal borrowing limit or risk the first default in American history.
Such quick congressional action on a measure announced earlier in the day was in stark contrast to the protracted brinksmanship of recent weeks that led to the shutdown now in its 16th day and brought the threat of default.
The measure represented a victory for Obama and Democrats over conservative Republicans who tried to use the shutdown and debt ceiling deadline to wring concessions on spending cuts and dismantling the Obama's signature health care reforms.
However, the final agreement worked out by Senate leaders after House Speaker John Boehner was unable to get his own Republican caucus to support a House GOP version lacked any substantive measures sought by political right beyond extending current spending levels until January 15.
It also extended the federal debt ceiling until February 7 and set up budget negotiations between the House and Senate intended to come up with a broader spending plan for the rest of fiscal year 2014, which ends on September 30.
Another provision requiring the government to confirm the eligibility of people receiving federal subsidies under Obamacare was labeled by Democrats and the White House as minor.
"We fought the good fight; we just didn't win," Boehner told a radio station in his home state of Ohio.
Both chambers had to take special steps to get the legislation passed that quickly, raising concerns that tea party conservatives led by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas would block or delay it in a final effort to include provisions intended to harm Obama's signature health care reforms.
However, Cruz told reporters that he wouldn't mount a filibuster or employ other procedural moves against the agreement.
At the same time, he criticized his Senate colleagues for what he called their failure to listen to the American people and said the fight against Obamacare would continue.
Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York blasted Cruz and the rest of the tea party wing in Congress for what he called the "reckless, irresponsible politics of brinksmanship over the last few weeks."
seems this headline is a bit premature Diane....the House hasn't voted yet, the President hasn't signed yet, and the shuitdown isn't over yet.
Doesn't matter if you are a Democrat, Republican, Tea Party-er, Libertarian, or Socialist: The biggest loser in all of this sorry mess is the US taxpayer.
As a 1+ year transplant to Ohio, I can tell you that a good percentage of folks up here are quite fed up with Boehner AND Kasich to boot.
"We fought the good fight" - my left foot you did.
I'm still confused about what we lost in all this mess? Quite frankly don't think most people noticed. Lost our overseas image, sorry Syria pretty much did that for us. As the Washington post said the worst thing about a shutdown would be if nobody noticed it.
Quote from: tufsu1 on October 16, 2013, 09:36:39 PM
seems this headline is a bit premature Diane....the House hasn't voted yet, the President hasn't signed yet, and the shuitdown isn't over yet.
You did understand that the headline was CNN's not mine? There is a difference tufsu. lol
Quote from: civil42806 on October 17, 2013, 12:14:16 PM
I'm still confused about what we lost in all this mess? Quite frankly don't think most people noticed. Lost our overseas image, sorry Syria pretty much did that for us. As the Washington post said the worst thing about a shutdown would be if nobody noticed it.
While the supposed fiscally conservative Tea Party folks drove this mess, We lost 24 billion dollars for one thing, had our credit rating threatened and saw a melt down in Washington. I think many people noticed not only here but worldwide.