WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives is preparing to vote on a Senate-passed bill aimed at ending the current government shutdown. Delegations from Montana, Idaho and Washington have returned to the District of Columbia for the vote.
While the building appears calm, activity inside is anything but. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also in the spotlight as it enforces a mandate to cancel 6% of flights at 40 high-traffic airports by Friday. The FAA plans to increase this reduction to about 10%.
The House is currently in recess, but Congressman Baumgartner has confirmed his support for the bill. He shared his reasons for voting yes.
“Finally, cooler heads prevailed in the Senate, which I’m very happy with,” Baumgartner said. “You know, look, I mean, we need a government that functions. I’m happy to work with anybody on either side of the aisle.”
Baumgartner noted his efforts to avoid partisanship but emphasized his view that the shutdown was Democrat-led.
“I usually try not to be too partisan and political, but this really was a Democrat-led shutdown, and it was really bad for the country,” he said.
As the House prepares for the vote, conversations with other representatives, such as Congressman Downing, are anticipated. Stay tuned for updates on how other members plan to cast their votes.
