The United States entered a “partial financial shutdown” on Saturday due to Democrats’ refusal to approve the Department of Homeland Security’s budget without reform conditions, following the killing of two American citizens by its personnel. The Senate adopted a bill aimed at reducing the impact of the shutdown, which may end after the House of Representatives votes on it early next week.
The United States entered a “partial financial shutdown” on Saturday, with expectations that it may end quickly once the House votes on the bill on Monday.
After three months of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, this financial paralysis comes as a result of Democratic opposition rejecting the proposed budget for the Department of Homeland Security unless restrictions are imposed on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following the killing of two American citizens by its officers in Minneapolis.
The U.S. Senate adopted on Friday a financial bill that would limit the duration of the imminent federal government shutdown.
The partial shutdown officially began at midnight on Friday (5 a.m. Saturday GMT), but it may end early next week when the House votes on the text.
The bill is expected to minimize the impact, as the shutdown may last only through the weekend without requiring many public-sector employees to be furloughed.
The measure was approved by a majority of 71 votes to 29, the result of an agreement between President Donald Trump and Democratic lawmakers who refused to approve the proposed budget for the Department of Homeland Security before implementing reforms in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the Minneapolis incident.