US House set to vote on resolution to end longest government shutdown

​​​​​​​By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US House of Representatives will vote on Senate-passed legislation Wednesday to end the government shutdown, which is now in its 43rd day.

"We believe the long national nightmare will be over tonight. It was completely and utterly foolish and pointless in the end," House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters at the Capitol.

On Monday, the Senate voted 60-40 to advance a House-passed government funding bill that will be amended to extend federal funding through Jan. 30, and incorporate three full-year appropriations measures.

The House is scheduled to hold a procedural vote on the Senate-passed deal to reopen the federal government later Wednesday to end the record-long shutdown.

If it clears the lower chamber, the legislation will head to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

The House last voted Sept. 19.

Separately, Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva will also be sworn into the House. The Democrat from the state of Arizona won her late father’s seat in a Sept. 23 special election.

The shutdown began Oct. 1 after a breakdown in negotiations on federal spending priorities. Thousands of federal workers have since been furloughed, working without pay, while government services have been curtailed or suspended.