Government Shut Down

[Happy Monkey]

The Senate has passed:

Originally Posted by Daily Kos

• A continuing resolution funding government through Jan. 15;
• An increase in the debt ceiling until Feb. 7, but it also continues the ability of the Treasury to use extraordinary measures to extend that period, so that's not a drop dead date. It also includes language allowing President Obama to waive the debt ceiling, which could be overridden by a vote of disapproval by Congress that could then be vetoed by the president;
• New rules for income verification for Obamacare subsidies, requiring the government to "certify to the Congress that the Exchanges verify such eligibility." It does not interfere with or prevent Obamacare enrollments;
• Reimbursement of lost pay to federal workers furloughed during the shutdown;
• Reimbursement to states for any money they spent to replace lost federal funding during the shutdown;
• Up to $450 million to the Department of Transportation to rebuild infrastructure destroyed in last month's Colorado floods;
• $3.1 million to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (yeah, that one's a head-scratcher); and
• $174,000 to the widow of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), who died in June (another head-scratcher).

On to the House.

The "Obama can waive the debt ceiling" thing is interesting. I'm sure if he does it, he'll be screamed at, but if he waits to the last second he can appear all "Daddy disciplining the squabbling children", and Boehner can then be all "I would have fought to my last breath, but Obama stopped me". Win-win.