The U.S. House Speaker, Mike Johnson, stated on Sunday that he believes he has enough Republican votes to end the partial government shutdown in a few days. The House will then engage in a two-week debate on reforming the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Johnson, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, said, “I am confident that we will at least by Tuesday. We are facing challenges in logistical support for the people’s commuting needs.”
He was referring to the impact of a massive snowstorm a week ago, which affected travel plans for people in the southeastern United States.
The U.S. government has been partially shut down since early Saturday morning last week. However, this shutdown is expected to be brief as the Senate easily passed a funding bill on Friday. The House, currently on recess, will have to wait until members return on Monday to vote on the funding bill.
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers are working to ensure that the debate on immigration enforcement does not disrupt other aspects of government operations. This is in stark contrast to last fall when a healthcare dispute led to a 43-day shutdown, resulting in an estimated $11 billion economic loss for the U.S.
The Senate-approved plan separates the controversial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding program from the overall funding bill. The bill includes a temporary two-week measure to provide funding for DHS. However, legislation providing full-year funding for DHS will be temporarily put on hold until an agreement on changing ICE’s practices is reached. Earlier, two American citizens were shot dead in an ICE enforcement operation in Minneapolis, sparking widespread protests.
The Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the House. Johnson expressed hope to provide funding for all agencies except DHS by the end of Tuesday, followed by two weeks of sincere negotiations to resolve the issue.
(Reference: Reuters)