Senate nears deal to end shutdown

A deal to reopen the federal government appears to be moving forward. The U.S. Senate voted to pass the deal on Sunday night, signaling the weeks-long shutdown is poised to end. Seven Democrats and an Independent joined Republicans to advance the agreement, which funds the government through January. A final Senate vote is expected soon, and with enough bipartisan support already in place, it’s likely to pass.

Once the Senate gives formal approval, the measure will move to the House, before heading to President Donald Trump’s desk. The eight lawmakers who broke ranks with Democratic leadership said they believed this was the best compromise available, pointing to the mounting hardship Americans have faced: cuts to SNAP benefits, air travel disruptions, and hundreds of thousands of federal employees missing multiple paychecks. But many democratic lawmakers are unhappy with this compromise. They are upset that a key demand — extending Affordable Care Act tax subsidies — is not guaranteed in this deal. Instead, the agreement only promises a separate vote on the issue in December, leaving its future uncertain.

Today, we discuss the details of this government funding deal and ask whether the shutdown and the compromise was worth the cost.

Guests:

Catie Edmondson – New York Times congressional correspondent

Sahil Kapur – Senior national political reporter for NBC News

Rep. Brendan Boyle – D – PA