The House of Representatives yesterday passed a standalone spending measure to provide funding for the Departments of Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development. The House voted 244-180 to approve the funding measure. Twelve Republicans bucked party lines to join Democrats in voting for the bill.
The 12 Republicans who voted for the Transportation bill yesterday is an uptick from the eight who voted on Wednesday on a measure to reopen the IRS and the Treasury Department.
The House then voted 243-183 to pass a separate measure to fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture and related agencies through September 30, with 10 Republicans joining Democrats to vote for the measure.
That bill will also allocate funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which was a top priority for lawmakers concerned that millions of Americans could lose access to food stamp benefits after temporary funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture runs out at the end of February.
Passage of the measures Thursday come on the the 20th day of the partial government shutdown, with no clear path to reopen agencies as negotiations remain in a stalemate over President Trump’s demand for border wall funding.
