The next few weeks will be harsh for John Boehner and the GOP at large, as Americans start to assign blame for the shutdown that Standard and Poor’s is already estimating will cost the nation over $24 billion dollars. A deal has been struck and the shutdown is over. In a vote of 285-144, with 87 Republicans joining the Democrats, the House of Representatives voted to end the shutdown and accept the Senate deal, the Senate having passed it by a vote of 81 to 18 earlier.
What exactly are the terms of the Senate bill? They are:
One. Reopen the federal government and fund it through Jan. 15, 2014.
Two. Raise the debt limit to Feb. 7, 2014, but allow federal borrowing to continue for a few weeks past that by using special accounting measures.
Three. As requested by Republicans, require additional measures to ensure that people who receive financial aid in buying health insurance under Obamacare are being honest about their income. This, it should be noted, is the only provision of the agreement dealing with Obamacare.
Four. The deal sets up a negotiating committee to try to come up with a budget. So, essentially, we don’t have to go through this again. This committee is expected to report back by Dec. 13.
Five. Provide back pay to the some 800,000 furloughed federal workers.
In a statement released on Facebook, Boehner wrote: “Thank you for all of your support and encouragement. The House has fought with everything it has to convince the president to engage in bipartisan negotiations aimed at addressing our country’s debt and providing fairness for the American people under ObamaCare. Our fight will continue.”
“We just didn’t win,” said the Speaker of the House, talking not to The Washington Post, or even the ultra-conservative Washington Times, but choosing instead the safe waters of his hometown press corp, 700 WLW-AM radio in Cincinnati.
The bill now goes to the president for signature.
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