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Government shutdown: Congress struggles to find solution as deadline nears Republicans clear first hurdle to avoid government shutdown
(about 3 hours later)
US lawmakers racing towards deadline to pass spending bill House appeared poised on Thursday night to pass a bill to keep the government open, after promising a vote on defense and immigration
Donald Trump points finger at Democrats over Daca stance Sabrina Siddiqui and
Sabrina Siddiqui in Washington Ben Jacobs in Washington
Thu 18 Jan 2018 18.58 GMT Fri 19 Jan 2018 00.44 GMT
Last modified on Thu 18 Jan 2018 22.09 GMT First published on Thu 18 Jan 2018 18.58 GMT
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The chances of a government shutdown increased sharply late Thursday, after Republican leaders in Congress appeared to fall short of the votes needed to keep agencies open past a Friday funding deadline. Republicans cleared the first hurdle in avoiding a government shutdown on Thursday night.
Hours after House Speaker Paul Ryan voiced confidence that a short-term Republican plan would pass, his allies struggled to corral votes away from hardline fiscal conservatives. Democrats, meanwhile, said they had enough votes to block the bill if it reached the Senate. Facing opposition on two fronts, Republican leaders in Congress and the White House were left staring down the likelihood that the government will run out of money on Friday night. The House of Representatives seemed poised to pass a bill to keep the government open until 16 February, after promising conservatives a vote on a major increase in defense spending, a hard-line immigration bill as well as other unnamed concessions that the conservative House Freedom Caucus leader Mark Meadows called “subplots” on Thursday night.
Barring a breakthrough before Saturday, the impasse would result in Donald Trump marking his first anniversary in office with the first government shutdown in four years, even though his party controls Congress. In the event of a shutdown, most government services would freeze and most federal workers would go unpaid. However, this legislation would likely be dead on arrival in the Senate, where Democrats have said they have enough votes to block the legislation. But, by passing the House, it would allow Republicans to attempt to shift the blame for a potential government shutdown to Democrats.
An impasse would result in Donald Trump marking his first anniversary in office with the first government shutdown in four years, even though his party controls Congress. In the event of a shutdown, most government services would freeze and most federal workers would go unpaid.
Negotiations over the budget stalled in recent days, amid a dispute over spending priorities and immigration.Negotiations over the budget stalled in recent days, amid a dispute over spending priorities and immigration.
The breakdown of talks kicked off a pre-emptive blame game in Washington, with Trump and Republicans pointing a finger at Democrats for insisting that any compromise include protections for nearly 700,000 young undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children.The breakdown of talks kicked off a pre-emptive blame game in Washington, with Trump and Republicans pointing a finger at Democrats for insisting that any compromise include protections for nearly 700,000 young undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children.
“We’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters during a visit to the Pentagon on Thursday. “It’s up to the Democrats.”“We’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters during a visit to the Pentagon on Thursday. “It’s up to the Democrats.”
The president’s decision to stop by the US Department of Defense, as Republican leaders in Congress crafted a contingency plan in the event of a shutdown, underscored the political urgency.The president’s decision to stop by the US Department of Defense, as Republican leaders in Congress crafted a contingency plan in the event of a shutdown, underscored the political urgency.
There has never been a government shutdown, which would cost the US an estimated $6.5bn a week and stifle economic progress, when one party has controlled both chambers of Congress and the White House.There has never been a government shutdown, which would cost the US an estimated $6.5bn a week and stifle economic progress, when one party has controlled both chambers of Congress and the White House.
When the US Congress fails to pass appropriate funding for government operations and agencies, a shutdown is triggered. Most government services are frozen, barring those that are deemed “essential”, such as the work of the Department of Homeland Security and FBI.When the US Congress fails to pass appropriate funding for government operations and agencies, a shutdown is triggered. Most government services are frozen, barring those that are deemed “essential”, such as the work of the Department of Homeland Security and FBI.
During a shutdown, nearly 40% of the government workforce is placed on unpaid furlough and told not to work. Many, but not all, are non-defense federal employees. Active duty military personnel are not furloughed. Read more. During a shutdown, nearly 40% of the government workforce is placed on unpaid furlough and told not to work. Many, but not all, are non-defense federal employees. Active duty military personnel are not furloughed. Read more. 
At the Pentagon, Trump sought to pit Democrats against the military by claiming a shutdown would have the worst impact on the defense department.At the Pentagon, Trump sought to pit Democrats against the military by claiming a shutdown would have the worst impact on the defense department.
While most government services are frozen during a shutdown, national security work that is deemed “essential” continues to operate. The majority of federal employees placed on unpaid furlough are non-defense employees. Active duty military personnel are not furloughed.While most government services are frozen during a shutdown, national security work that is deemed “essential” continues to operate. The majority of federal employees placed on unpaid furlough are non-defense employees. Active duty military personnel are not furloughed.
Earlier Friday, the president unexpectedly undermined a short-term plan offered by House Republicans. The stopgap measure would push the funding deadline to 16 February and, in an attempt to sway Democrats, reauthorize a popular children’s health insurance program for six years.Earlier Friday, the president unexpectedly undermined a short-term plan offered by House Republicans. The stopgap measure would push the funding deadline to 16 February and, in an attempt to sway Democrats, reauthorize a popular children’s health insurance program for six years.
But as the House prepared to vote on the measure on Thursday, Trump criticized the bill, tweeting: “CHIP [the Children’s Health Insurance Program] should be part of a long term solution, not a 30 Day, or short term, extension!”But as the House prepared to vote on the measure on Thursday, Trump criticized the bill, tweeting: “CHIP [the Children’s Health Insurance Program] should be part of a long term solution, not a 30 Day, or short term, extension!”
Hours later, the House speaker, Paul Ryan, downplayed divisions between Republican leaders and the White House. “I spoke with the president. He fully supports passing what we’re bringing to the floor today,” Ryan said.Hours later, the House speaker, Paul Ryan, downplayed divisions between Republican leaders and the White House. “I spoke with the president. He fully supports passing what we’re bringing to the floor today,” Ryan said.
It was nonetheless unclear whether Republicans had the necessary votes. Fiscal conservatives had expressed frustration that the bill would represent the fourth short-term extension since October, when funding for the government was first due to expire. Congress has since passed a series of stopgap measures to keep the government running in the absence of a longer-term deal. However, the concessions made to conservatives on Friday night were sufficient to get enough wavering right wingers to back another short-term bill.
Fiscal conservatives have expressed frustration that the bill would represent the fourth short-term extension since October, when funding for the government was first due to expire. Congress has since passed a series of stopgap measures to keep the government running in the absence of a longer-term deal.
Democrats in the lower chamber were largely unified in their opposition to the Republican bill, with the House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, likening it to “a bowl of doggy doo” in a Thursday press conference on Capitol Hill.Democrats in the lower chamber were largely unified in their opposition to the Republican bill, with the House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, likening it to “a bowl of doggy doo” in a Thursday press conference on Capitol Hill.
The bill’s fate looked similarly uncertain in the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim 51-seat majority and would need at least nine Democrats to support the plan.The bill’s fate looked similarly uncertain in the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim 51-seat majority and would need at least nine Democrats to support the plan.
A handful of swing state Senate Democrats announced their opposition to the House bill, citing its failure to address a number of funding priorities. Democrats said a short-term fix would delay critical funding for the opioid crisis, as well as emergency relief for areas in Florida, California and Puerto Rico left devastated by storms and wildfires last year.A handful of swing state Senate Democrats announced their opposition to the House bill, citing its failure to address a number of funding priorities. Democrats said a short-term fix would delay critical funding for the opioid crisis, as well as emergency relief for areas in Florida, California and Puerto Rico left devastated by storms and wildfires last year.
Democrats remain primarily concerned with extending protections to the young, undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, who were left in limbo when Trump rescinded Barack Obama’s 2012 Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (Daca) policy in September.Democrats remain primarily concerned with extending protections to the young, undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, who were left in limbo when Trump rescinded Barack Obama’s 2012 Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (Daca) policy in September.
The Daca program protected hundreds of thousands of Dreamers from deportation with temporary legal status. Trump gave Congress until 5 March to enact a replacement, but Democrats have argued legislation on the controversial issue of immigration is unlikely to pass unless tied to a must-pass bill such as funding for the government.The Daca program protected hundreds of thousands of Dreamers from deportation with temporary legal status. Trump gave Congress until 5 March to enact a replacement, but Democrats have argued legislation on the controversial issue of immigration is unlikely to pass unless tied to a must-pass bill such as funding for the government.
Bipartisan discussions on immigration were also severely undermined last week when the president made derogatory comments in a private meeting, about immigrants from countries such as Haiti and El Salvador. According to lawmakers in attendance, Trump questioned the need for the US to accept immigrants from “shithole countries”.Bipartisan discussions on immigration were also severely undermined last week when the president made derogatory comments in a private meeting, about immigrants from countries such as Haiti and El Salvador. According to lawmakers in attendance, Trump questioned the need for the US to accept immigrants from “shithole countries”.
On Thursday, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the Senate, said Trump “doesn’t give a hoot if the government shuts down”.On Thursday, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the Senate, said Trump “doesn’t give a hoot if the government shuts down”.
“The White House has done nothing but sow chaos and confusion, division and disarray,” Schumer said in a Senate floor speech.“The White House has done nothing but sow chaos and confusion, division and disarray,” Schumer said in a Senate floor speech.
“And it may just lead us to a government shutdown that nobody wants; that all of us here have been striving to avoid.”“And it may just lead us to a government shutdown that nobody wants; that all of us here have been striving to avoid.”
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