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Senate Reaches Deal to Avert Shutdown as Government Faces Multiple Crises
Washington – The Senate reached an agreement Thursday to move forward with a government funding package, averting a potential shutdown scheduled for Saturday at 12 a.m. The deal came as the nation grappled with a severe cold snap, a potential East Coast storm, ongoing immigration enforcement debates, and the aftermath of a historic ice storm in Mississippi, according to CBS News reports.
The agreement allowed for continued negotiations on immigration enforcement reforms following a fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis last weekend. However, the deal faced resistance from at least one Republican senator. Under the proposed plan, a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be separated from a larger package of six spending bills covering other government sectors, including the Pentagon and the State Department, a Senate Democratic source told CBS News. Funding for DHS would then be extended at current levels for two weeks.
Meanwhile, the East Coast braced for a potential winter storm following a deadly system that blanketed much of the country in snow and ice. Forecasters anticipated the lingering effects of the previous storm, combined with repeated Arctic air blasts from Canada, could result in the longest period of sustained cold temperatures in decades for the Eastern and Southeastern U.S., according to the National Weather Service. A potential storm was brewing off the coast of the Carolinas, with meteorologists anticipating it would impact at least coastal stretches and surrounding areas.
In Minneapolis, the debate over immigration enforcement intensified. White House border czar Tom Homan signaled a possible drawdown in Operation Metro Surge, but Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed skepticism. "We need Operation Metro Surge to end," Frey told CBS News Thursday afternoon. "It is not about creating safety in Minneapolis. If the goal was to find an antidote to chaos, there would be a very straightforward answer, which is to end Operation Metro Surge, remove the federal agents." Homan replaced Greg Bovino as the on-the-ground face of operations in Minnesota earlier in the week, but as of Thursday, Homan had not clarified how many agents remained in the state.
Adding to the nation's woes, northern Mississippi continued to struggle with the aftermath of an ice storm that struck more than five days prior. In Gravestown, Mississippi, the volunteer fire department received a generator from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), providing a crucial resource after days without power and running water. "We're very grateful for them," Gravestown Fire Chief Kenny Childs told CBS News, referring to the generators distributed statewide. "We had no water, no power, no nothing. So, you know, it is great." Childs said his community was informed that power restoration could take another seven to 15 days.
In other news, skier Lindsey Vonn crashed in her final downhill before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Friday. She lost control landing a jump in a World Cup race and became tangled in safety nets. After medical attention, she walked away gingerly, favoring her left knee.
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