Live blog: Government shutdown ends; Washington averts its own crisis
The government shutdown has come to an end, the debt limit has been raised, and Washington has averted a crisis of its own making. Coming down to nearly the last minute, the House and Senate agreed to a bipartisan deal Wednesday night after weeks of negotiations, debate and partisan bickering.
Meanwhile, the various federal agencies and services shut down this month are starting to resume normal operations. Parks are reopening, furloughed workers are returning to their offices, memorials are no longer fenced off, and even the panda cam will be back online later Thursday.
LIVE BLOG: Real-time updates on fallout from deal below
The fiscal deal passed the House and Senate overwhelmingly, though conservative Republicans remain unsatisfied, as they wanted to deal a heavy blow to the Affordable Care Act.
But the budget and healthcare battles in Washington are not over. The threat of another government shutdown will rise again Jan. 15, and the government’s ability to borrow has been extended only until Feb. 7.
“We still need to pass a law to fix our broken immigration system. We still need to pass a farm bill. And with the shutdown behind us and budget committees forming, we now have an opportunity to focus on a sensible budget that is responsible, that is fair, and that helps hardworking people all across this country,” Obama said after the Senate vote Wednesday.
Follow our live blog below for the latest updates on the fallout from the shutdown/debt limit showdown, and a look ahead as Washington tries to move past the debacle.
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