Trump Signs Bill, Ends Partial Shutdown02/04 06:13

   President Donald Trump signed a roughly $1.2 trillion government funding 
bill Tuesday that ends the partial federal shutdown that began over the weekend 
and sets the stage for an intense debate in Congress over Homeland Security 
funding.

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump signed a roughly $1.2 trillion 
government funding bill Tuesday that ends the partial federal shutdown that 
began over the weekend and sets the stage for an intense debate in Congress 
over Homeland Security funding.

   The president moved quickly to sign the bill after the House approved it 
with a 217-214 vote.

   "This bill is a great victory for the American people," Trump said.

   The vote Tuesday wrapped up congressional work on 11 annual appropriations 
bills that fund government agencies and programs through Sept. 30.

   Passage of the legislation marked the end point for one funding fight, but 
the start of another. That's because the package only funds the Department of 
Homeland Security for two weeks, through Feb 13, at the behest of Democrats who 
are demanding more restrictions on immigration enforcement after the shooting 
deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal officers in Minneapolis.

   Leaders are digging in for a fight

   Difficult negotiations are ahead, particularly for the agency that enforces 
the nation's immigration laws -- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or 
ICE.

   House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries quickly warned Democrats would not 
support any further temporary funding for Homeland Security without substantial 
changes to its immigration operations., raising the potential of another 
shutdown for the department and its agencies.

   "We need dramatic change in order to make sure that ICE and other agencies 
within the department of Homeland Security are conducting themselves like every 
other law enforcement organization in the country," Jeffries said.

   Speaker Mike Johnson said he expects the two sides will be able to reach an 
agreement by the deadline.

   "This is no time to play games with that funding. We hope that they will 
operate in good faith over the next 10 days as we negotiate this," said 
Johnson. "The president, again, has reached out."

   But Johnson's counterpart across the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader John 
Thune, R-S.D., sounded less optimistic of a deal. "There's always miracles, 
right?" Thune told reporters.

   Voting with no margin for error

   The funding bill that cleared Congress Tuesday had provisions that appealed 
to both parties.

   Republicans avoided a massive, catchall funding bill known as an omnibus as 
part of this year's appropriations process. Such bills, often taken up before 
the holiday season with lawmakers anxious to return home, have contributed to 
greater federal spending, they say.

   Democrats were able to fend off some of Trump's most draconian proposed cuts 
while adding language that helps ensure funds are spent as stipulated by 
Congress.

   Still, Johnson needed near-unanimous support from his Republican conference 
to proceed to a final vote on the bill. He narrowly got it during a roll call 
that was held open for nearly an hour as leaders worked to gain support from a 
handful of GOP lawmakers who were trying to advance other priorities unrelated 
to the funding measure.

   The final vote wasn't much easier for GOP leaders. In the end, 21 
Republicans sided with the vast majority of Democrats in voting against the 
funding bill, while that exact same number of Democrats sided with the vast 
majority of Republicans in voting yes.

   Trump had weighed in Monday in a social media post, calling on Republicans 
to stay united and telling holdouts, "There can be NO CHANGES at this time."

   Key differences from the last shutdown

   The current partial shutdown that is coming to a close differed in many ways 
from the fall impasse, which affected more agencies and lasted a record 43 days.

   Then, the debate was over extending temporary coronavirus pandemic-era 
subsidies for those who get health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. 
Democrats were unsuccessful in getting those subsidies included as part of a 
package to end the shutdown.

   Congress made important progress since then. Some of the six appropriations 
bills it passed prior to Tuesday ensured the current shutdown had less sting. 
For example, important programs such as nutrition assistance and fully 
operating national parks and historic sites were already funded through Sept. 
30.

   The remaining bills passed Tuesday mean that the vast majority of the 
federal government has been funded.

   "You might say that now that 96% of the government is funded, it's just 4% 
what's out there?" Johnson said. "But it's a very important 4%"