Government Shutdown Looks To Be Averted

It looks like the government shutdown will be averted thanks to Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi agreeing to add an amendment to a water bill that will ensure that there is some funding for the Flint water crisis. The Senate passed the continuing resolution by a vote of 72-26 yesterday that pretty much had everything Democrats had demanded – including Zika funding without any restrictions on Planned Parenthood and omitting provisions that would have blocked the US from turning over responsibility of internet domain name to an international organization and rolled back some environmental and trucking regulations. They were not able to remove the provision that blocks the SEC from revealing “dark money” campaign contributions.

The continuing resolution will now go over to the House for a vote later this afternoon. And even the usually recalcitrant Freedom Caucus seems to have caved in to the inevitable. So the expectation are that the bill will pass and everyone can get back to what they do best – raising money and campaigning. But it is the House, so you never really know until the voting closes.