Congress set to vote to end shutdown over spending

The US Congress was scheduled to vote yesterday on a spending bill to end the government shutdown, following a House committee vote late on Monday.

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Johnson: Says deal ‘imminent’

The shutdown followed a breakdown in spending negotiations amid Democratic anger in response to federal immigration agents killing two US citizens in Minneapolis, which derailed talks over new money for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Late on Friday, the Senate had passed a package clearing five outstanding funding bills to cover most federal agencies through September, along with a two-week stopgap measure to keep DHS operating while lawmakers negotiate immigration enforcement policy.

Shutdowns temporarily freeze funding for nonessential federal operations, forcing agencies to halt services, place workers on unpaid leave or require them to work without pay.