The House of Representatives is officially set to return to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, where it will conduct its first votes aimed at reopening the government. According to a notice from GOP Whip Tom Emmer, the voting process is expected to commence as early as 4:00 p.m. ET. This pivotal action comes as lawmakers navigate several procedural steps before reaching the final passage of the bill.
As the House convenes, multiple series of votes are anticipated on Wednesday evening. Emmer has advised lawmakers to remain alert for updates regarding the precise timing of these crucial votes. The urgency around this matter underscores the importance of quickly resolving the ongoing government shutdown.
Earlier this week, the Senate successfully passed its bill to end the government shutdown, with a decisive vote of 60-40 on Monday night. This legislation now moves to the House of Representatives for further review and consideration. If all goes according to plan, the House could hold a vote on the bill as soon as Wednesday and subsequently send it to President Donald Trump for final approval.
The Senate's vote concluded at 9:26 p.m. EST, with Senator Eric Schmitt presiding over the session. Notably, the same Democratic senators who supported the bill during Sunday’s procedural vote reaffirmed their support on Monday night. Among them, Senators Tim Kaine, Dick Durbin, Maggie Hassan, Jeanne Shaheen, Jacky Rosen, Catherine Cortez Masto, John Fetterman, and Angus King all voted in favor of the bill. In contrast, Senator Rand Paul stood out as the sole Republican to oppose the legislation.
The Senate is scheduled to depart Washington for a pre-planned recess for the remainder of the week, returning on Monday. During this break, it remains essential for the House to act swiftly to ensure that government operations can resume without further delay.
The Senate has finalized its arrangements to address government funding, with a series of eight votes slated to commence at 5:30 p.m. on the same day the bill was passed. The eighth and final vote in this series will be crucial, as it is expected to ratify the government funding bill. While votes in the Senate can sometimes be prolonged, it is anticipated that senators will expedite the process to address this urgent issue. Overall, it may take up to three hours to complete all eight votes.
As the situation develops, the next steps in the legislative process will be closely monitored. Once the Senate finalizes its voting, the bill will advance to the House for consideration. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence on Monday afternoon, stating he expects the House to vote on the bill as early as Wednesday.
