House lawmakers reach deal to avert shutdown
Democratic leaders had originally planned to vote Tuesday afternoon on their bill despite the lack of GOP support, setting up a potential partisan showdown with time running out before current funding expires on Sept. 30.
But the two parties ultimately resumed negotiations on Tuesday and released an agreement that addresses the farm aid as well as nutrition assistance for low-income children and families.
The agreement struck between the two parties adds $8 billion in nutrition assistance programs and includes measures sought by Democrats to prohibit CCC payments to fossil fuel refiners and importers.
It expands an expiring program created by a previous coronavirus relief law earlier this year that provides low-income children who normally receive free or reduced lunch at school with meals while in-person instruction is suspended due to the pandemic to include child care centers impacted by pandemic-related closures. The bill also allows states to continue flexibility for food stamp requirements for another year.
The Senate is likely to take up the bill as soon as this week.
Both parties are strongly incentivized to avoid a government shutdown, given the proximity to the November elections and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Senate Republicans are also planning to move as quickly as possible on filling the Supreme Court vacancy left by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on Friday.
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