The U.S. Congress is poised to approve a deal that would end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which began when lawmakers allowed funding to expire on October 1.Here is a brief summary of what the deal would do:
Congress still must write, debate and pass full-year spending bills that cover other government agencies.
It also explicitly says that the thousands of employees Trump tried to lay off after the shutdown began would keep their jobs.
The Justice Department could opt to settle the lawsuits rather than contest them in court, potentially allowing Trump's administration to hand out millions of dollars to political allies. Democrats say that would amount to corruption.
Their phone records were seized as part of the Biden administration's investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
It aims to close a loophole in existing law that has allowed some intoxicants to be sold as "hemp," a product that is legal under federal law. The bill would ban hemp products that contain more than a certain level of psychoactive compounds like THC or synthetic cannabinoids, while making clear that "industrial hemp" sold for fiber would still be legal and eligible for federal funding.
It also provides an 8% funding increase for WIC, a more targeted food program that serves about 6 million women and children per month.
It does not specifically address other federal workers, who are guaranteed back pay when the government reopens under a 2019 law.
TEMPORARILY RESTORES GOVERNMENT FUNDING
The bill would restore funding for government agencies at existing levels through January 30. This would buy time for lawmakers to finish work on detailed spending legislation to fund agencies for the current fiscal year, which lasts through September 30, 2026.PROVIDES FULL-YEAR FUNDING FOR SOME AGENCIES
The package also includes full-year funding for the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction projects and Congress itself.Congress still must write, debate and pass full-year spending bills that cover other government agencies.
BLOCKS FEDERAL JOB CUTS
The bill would hinder President Donald Trump's campaign to downsize the U.S. government by barring his administration from carrying out mass firings of federal workers until January 30. Roughly 300,000 of the 2.2 million people who work for the federal government have been laid off or pressured to leave their jobs this year.It also explicitly says that the thousands of employees Trump tried to lay off after the shutdown began would keep their jobs.
ALLOWS SENATORS TO SUE FOR ALLEGED PRIVACY VIOLATIONS
The bill allows eight Republican senators whose phone records were examined by the Justice Department to sue for $500,000 for alleged privacy violations.The Justice Department could opt to settle the lawsuits rather than contest them in court, potentially allowing Trump's administration to hand out millions of dollars to political allies. Democrats say that would amount to corruption.
Their phone records were seized as part of the Biden administration's investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
HEMP PRODUCTS
The bill would crack down on an array of marijuana-like intoxicants that are sold in convenience stores nationwide, even in states where recreational marijuana use is not legal.It aims to close a loophole in existing law that has allowed some intoxicants to be sold as "hemp," a product that is legal under federal law. The bill would ban hemp products that contain more than a certain level of psychoactive compounds like THC or synthetic cannabinoids, while making clear that "industrial hemp" sold for fiber would still be legal and eligible for federal funding.
FOOD ASSISTANCE
The bill ensures that the SNAP food aid program, which helps 40 million Americans buy groceries, will continue without disruption if Congress shuts down the government again before September 30, 2026, the end of the fiscal year. The program has been thrown into turmoil by the current shutdown.It also provides an 8% funding increase for WIC, a more targeted food program that serves about 6 million women and children per month.
DOES NOT BOLSTER EXISTING SPENDING AUTHORITY
Other than the language on job cuts, the bill includes no new guardrails that would prevent Trump from unilaterally cutting or withholding funds approved by Congress.PAYS WORKERS
The bill provides back pay for those federal workers Trump tried to fire, as well as some state workers who were furloughed when their pay was disrupted by the shutdown.It does not specifically address other federal workers, who are guaranteed back pay when the government reopens under a 2019 law.
