Senate Passes Bill to End Government Shutdown, Sends it to House for Vote

After a small group of Democrats reached a deal with Republicans, the Senate has passed legislation to reopen the government, bringing the longest shutdown in history closer to an end. The bill, which could take a few more days to be fully implemented, will now be voted on by the House, as members return from their recess. President Donald Trump has expressed his support for the bill, stating that the country will soon be “opening up. ” This comes after a six-week stalemate between Democrats and Republicans, with the former demanding negotiations to extend health care tax credits, which the latter did not fulfill.

Flight Cuts Expected to Continue After Government Shutdown Ends

As the federal government shutdown nears an end, airlines have already cancelled over 9,000 flights in light of the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce flights last week. This was done in an effort to ease the burden on short-staffed control towers. On Tuesday, an additional 1,200 flights were cancelled as the FAA increased its target for reducing flights at major airports. It is expected that flights will continue to be disrupted even as the shutdown comes to an end, and cancellations are not likely to ease immediately. As a result, the pace of airline ticket sales for Thanksgiving travel has slowed down and many travelers are reconsidering flying due to the delays and cancellations.

Lawsuit Challenges TSA’s Discriminatory Policy Against Transgender Officers

A transportation security officer in Virginia has filed a lawsuit against the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, accusing them of sex discrimination due to a policy that bars transgender officers from performing security pat-downs. This policy, enacted by the Transportation Security Administration in February, is in compliance with a Trump executive order that declares only two unchangeable sexes. The lawsuit, filed last Friday, argues that this policy violates civil rights laws and also prohibits the officer from using restrooms that align with their gender identity. Although TSA has not commented on the pending litigation, the Department of Homeland Security has pushed back on claims that their policy is discriminatory.

White House’s Proposal for 50-Year Mortgages has Pros and Cons

In an effort to address the home affordability crisis, the White House is considering a 50-year mortgage option. While some, like Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, believe this could be a “game changer” for homebuyers, others argue that it will not solve issues such as supply shortages and high interest rates. A 50-year mortgage would lower monthly payments for borrowers, but it could also significantly increase the total interest paid and delay equity accumulation compared to a 30-year mortgage.

SoftBank Sells Stake in Nvidia for $5.

Japanese technology giant SoftBank has announced that it sold its stake in AI chip company Nvidia for $5. 8 billion in October.