1. 🏛️ Government Shutdown Status

The government had been shut down for 40 days, the longest in U.S. history.
A Senate vote secured 60 votes (including 8 Democrats) to begin the reopening process.
The continuing resolution (CR) will fund the government through January 30, avoiding a holiday-season funding crisis.

2. ⚙️ Reopening Process

Despite the vote, procedural delays (e.g., Senate rules requiring 60 votes and time gaps between votes) mean the government may not fully reopen until Tuesday or Wednesday.
Unanimous consent could have expedited the process, but some Democrats (e.g., Bernie Sanders) were accused of obstructing.

3. ✈️ Impact on Travel and Public Services

TSA agents and air traffic controllers were working without pay, leading to sick-outs and flight delays.
Even after reopening, normal operations may take several days to resume.

4. 📜 Legislation Introduced

Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2025:
- Would make welfare fraud by illegal immigrants a deportable offense.
- Cites statistics on non-citizens receiving SNAP and WIC benefits.
- Claims a 10-year cost of $15 billion due to illegal immigrant access to benefits.
Obamacare Subsidies Debate:
- Discussion on expiring subsidies for health insurance companies.
- Republicans agreed to a vote in early December on whether to extend these subsidies.
- Cruz and Trump oppose the subsidies, calling them corporate welfare, and advocate for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) instead.

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Closing: Current Status and Next Steps

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