The current funding measure expires on Friday.
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A Republican-backed short-term spending bill to fund the government is now in the hands of the Senate after passing the House Thursday night. Late yesterday, the House passed a measure to provide government funding for another month, which would give lawmakers more time to hammer out a final deal.
The disagreement that could cause the shutdown – a costly political move for either party – comes after the collapse of bipartisan talks on a United States spending bill that hinged on continued protections under the DACA programme for undocumented immigrants, which Democrats support.
Trump met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer at the White House on Friday afternoon to try to hash out a deal on a funding package that would keep the government open beyond the midnight deadline. Republicans had the majority in the House, while Democrats held the Senate. Call it the “Schumer Shutdown”.
All that said, we are where we are.
“He didn’t weigh in until right before the vote”, the source said, describing it as “annoying”.
Funding for border security, but not a full-blown wall, was part of the bipartisan budget compromise presented at last week’s contentious White House talks. Angus King said he objected to a vote to end discussion in the Senate until Friday morning.
Sen. Edward Markey, Massachusetts Democrat, said Mr. Trump is the only one who can strike a spending deal to stop a shutdown.
Although the bill passed the House, there is no guarantee it will pass the Senate. “So important for our country – our Military needs it!” At this point, Capitol Hill vote-counters say Republican leaders don’t even have all the GOP votes secured. What changes do they want to see to vote yes?
“It is a simple step that will let us continue bipartisan talks without throwing the government into disarray for no reason”.
“What other choice do have this week”, asked New Jersey Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur.
Politically, each side of this debate seems to think the other will be blamed for shutting down the government for the first time since 2013. However, some Republican senators are expected to vote against it, making its passage incumbent upon Democrats.
Democrats are demanding that the stopgap bill include protections for hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants but Republicans have so far refused. Republicans say it’s the Democrats’ fault; Democrats say blame Republicans. The House isn’t scheduled to be in session next week, but a shutdown may force members to stay. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other members of the GOP leadership rejected the idea, but some Republican senators were on board. In the Senate, 60 votes are needed to pass the House bill, something that still looks unlikely.
Brandon Dillon, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, pushed back, calling Stabenow a champion of children’s health care who’s been fighting “tirelessly” to ensure CHIP and community health centers are funded. A handful are running for re-election in states where Trump handily won in 2016. “We all know that”, the New York Democrat said. With just hours to go, there is no solution in sight.
This marks the fourth short-term spending bill Congress has had on its plate since September.
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“The leader is looking to deflect blame, but it just won’t work”, said Schumer. Angus King, an independent from Maine.
