ATLANTA — Sources in Washington, DC, confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that the government shutdown could be over this week.
Georgia’s two senators voted Sunday night to keep it closed over the expiration of health care subsidies.
But even if it ended by Tuesday, it would take a while to untangle the new flight schedules devised by the airlines to handle the up to 10% reduction in air traffic nationwide.
Getting EBT cards reloaded with new SNAP benefits wouldn’t take as long, but there could still be delays.
The last-minute deal saw eight Democrats vote with Republicans to end the shutdown in return for a vote to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies.
But Georgia’s two Democratic senators voted no to ending the shutdown.
“With health care votes ahead, the question is whether republicans in Congress will join us to prevent catastrophic increases in health insurance premiums,” Sen. Jon Ossoff said.
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Sen. Raphael Warnock was more direct.
“Choosing between making health care more affordable and stopping the endless chaos and damage of this president, including starving, hungry children and seniors, should never be a decision we have to make in the United States,” Warnock said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has put members of Congress on alert to return to Washington should the Senate approve the measure. It would have to go to the House.
Georgia Republican Rep. Buddy Carter, who’s running against Ossoff next year, points out that this agreement would only keep the government running through the end of January, so we may all be back here after that.
“We may be back here again, and certainly if we don’t do something about the Senate procedures and about what they’re doing, we very well may end up in this situation again,” Carter told Channel 2’s Richard Elliot.
Elliot reached out to both senators’ offices for an interview, but bother offices said their schedules would not permit it.
Expect to see some action on this happening later this week.
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