The U.S. Senate will vote on two competing bills on Thursday in an attempt to end the month-long partial government shutdown, Republican and Democratic leaders announced on Tuesday.
The two spending bills include one with 5.7 billion U.S. dollars to fund the U.S.-Mexico border wall demanded by President Donald Trump, and another that extends funding for closed agencies until Feb. 8.
The new lineup for the 97th Congress is 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats. Each bill needs at least 60 votes to pass. Therefore, the key to success lies in whether one party could get the support of another or not. The U.S. media hold a view that the bills are unlikely to gain the votes needed to pass the House.
The shutdown has forced about 800,000 government employees to work without pay or take compulsory leave, so some charities began to provide free food to these employees and people affected by the event on Tuesday.
Image credit: Reuters
