Obama signs bill to put end to shutdown of federal government

Thursday, October 17, 2013  

Thousands of Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service employees are headed back to work today after President Barack Obama signed a bill to end the 16-day shutdown of the federal government.

Government employees on reservations across the country were furloughed when Congress failed to pass a budget. The lack of funds stopped critical Indian programs and forced tribes to make cutbacks and even send some of their own workers home.

"We'll begin reopening our government immediately, and we can begin to lift this cloud of uncertainty and unease from our businesses and from the American people," Obama said at a press conference last night.

The Senate passed H.R.2775 by a vote of 81-18. All 18 "nay" votes came from Republicans.

The House voted 285-184 in favor of the bill. Only 87 Republicans -- including Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation -- voted "yea."

A much larger group of Republicans -- 144 total -- voted against the measure. This included Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

The bill funds federal agencies through January 15, 2014, and raises the government's debt limit through February 7, 2014. So further action will be needed to resolve a slew of fiscal issues, including the sequestration of the budget that has resulted in across the board cuts to Indian programs.

Get the Story:
Obama signs bill to raise debt limit, reopen government (The Washington Post 10/17)
Republicans Back Down, Ending Crisis Over Shutdown and Debt Limit (The New York Times 10/17)

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