President Donald Trump and Republicans on Friday reached a temporary deal with Democrats to end the longest government shutdown in history.
The continuing resolution will run through Feb. 15, with a bipartisan committee meeting over the next three weeks with Homeland Security and law enforcement experts to come to a deal on funding for border security. The House and Senate passed the measure Friday by voice vote, and the president signed the resolution into law shortly before 10 p.m.
“I am proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government,” the president said in a speech on the Rose Garden lawn. “I have a very powerful alternative, but I didn’t want to use it at this time. Hopefully it will be unnecessary.”
The president thanked federal workers for their patience and said they remained loyal.
“You are fantastic people, you are incredible patriots,” he said. “Not only did you not complain, but in many cases, you encouraged me to keep going, because you care so much about our country and our border security.”
The president asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to put the resolution on the Senate floor “immediately,” and once the bill passes both houses of Congress and is signed, furloughed employees can look forward to getting paychecks and back pay.
“We will make sure all employees receive back pay very quickly, or as soon as possible,” President Trump said.
However, Trump warned that he will shut down the government again if a deal on border security is not reached during the three-week reprieve.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the deal’s announcement was “great news.”
“The president has agreed to our request to open the government and then debate border security. Which is great news,” Schumer said. “We expect the continuing resolution to clear the House and be signed by the president today.”
With the deal planned to be signed, Schumer said Democrats were eager to get to work to prevent a further interruption.
“As soon as the president signs legislation to reopen the government, we in Congress will roll up our sleeves,” he said. “We agree on many things … and that bodes well for coming to an eventual agreement. I believe there’s good faith on both sides to come to an agreement.
“From the bottom of my heart I want to thank the federal workers who worked so selflessly the past month. They should never have to go through this again.”
As the two sides have traded threats of another shutdown in 21 days if an agreement cannot be reached, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) urged finding common ground to prevent more shocks to the real estate industry.
NAR research has found that about 11 percent of its members have had transactions delayed as a result of the shutdown, now in its fifth week, and another 11 percent said their customers are opting out until the uncertainty clears.
“The housing industry was already facing market challenges before any government closure,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. “A home purchase is a major expenditure that simultaneously involves a high level of excitement and anxiety, and the shutdown adds another layer of unnecessary complication to the home buying process. It is causing tangible harm to potential buyers, the real estate market, and economic growth.”