Obama, Congress can’t find way to reopen government, but furloughed workers may not lose pay

WASHINGTON – The House has passed a bill to give 800,000 furloughed federal workers retroactive pay once the government reopens.

The House passed the bill in a rare Saturday session. The vote was 407-0.

The Senate was expected to OK it as well, but the timing is unclear.

The White House backs the legislation.

The federal government has been partially shut down since Tuesday, the start of the new budget year.

Both President Barack Obama and Congress are in Washington on Saturday, but there’s no apparent progress in ending the shutdown.

After the voting, House members are planning to leave town and not return until Monday evening.

The House has passed several bills to reopen selected parts of the federal government. Democrats are rejecting the piecemeal approach, saying the entire government should be reopened.

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Andrew Taylor

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