Trump signs funding bill, ending government shutdown

President Trump has signed a stopgap funding bill, officially ending the three-day government shutdown.

Trump signed the bill Monday night after Senate Democrats struck a deal on legislation earlier in the day.

“I am pleased that Democrats in Congress have come to their senses,” Trump said in a statement, which White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read to reporters at her daily briefing earlier in the day. 

{mosads}The measure funds the government through Feb. 8.

The House later passed the measure approved by the Senate, sending it to Trump for his signature.

Senate Democrats agreed to the deal after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) promised to hold debate on a bill to extend protections for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

However, some Democrats — including many eyeing 2020 presidential bids — slammed the deal and voted against it.

Liberal groups quickly called foul, pointing out that Monday’s measure includes little that wasn’t offered Friday in the legislation Democrats rejected.

“It’s official: [Senate Minority Leader Charles] Schumer [D-N.Y.] is the worst negotiator in Washington – even worse than Trump,” said Murshed Zaheed, political director at Credo.

The measure also includes money to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program, whose authorization expired in September, for six years. 

States had stood at risk of running out of funds for low-income children’s health care if Congress didn’t enact a patch by February. 

The shutdown began Friday at midnight after a continuing resolution to fund the government lacked the 60 votes necessary to clear the Senate after passing the House.

Critical government functions were put on hold during the shutdown, even though the Trump administration sought to minimize the effects compared to the last government freeze, which lasted 16 days in 2013.

The House and Senate held emergency sessions over the weekend to break the impasse, but a final resolution didn’t emerge until Monday morning.