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Government shutdown: first closure in four years looms hours before deadline Government shutdown: first closure in four years looms hours before deadline
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Twelve hours before deadline, dueling parties in Congress showed no signs of breaking impasse over spending priorities and DacaTwelve hours before deadline, dueling parties in Congress showed no signs of breaking impasse over spending priorities and Daca
Sabrina Siddiqui and Sabrina Siddiqui and
Lauren Gambino in WashingtonLauren Gambino in Washington
Fri 19 Jan 2018 17.42 GMT Fri 19 Jan 2018 18.28 GMT
First published on Fri 19 Jan 2018 17.42 GMT
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The US government remained poised on Friday to suffer its first shutdown in more than four years, as lawmakers in Congress showed no signs of breaking an impasse over spending priorities and the fate of young, undocumented immigrants. The US government remained poised on Friday to suffer its first shutdown in more than four years, as lawmakers in Congress showed no signs of breaking an impasse over spending priorities and the fate of young undocumented migrants.
With less than 12 hours before a deadline of midnight to fund the government, the White House said the prospect of a shutdown had “ratcheted up” while blaming Democrats for objecting to the short-term spending measure that narrowly passed the House of Representatives on Thursday. With less than 12 hours before a deadline of midnight to fund the government, the White House said the prospect of a shutdown had “ratcheted up” and blamed Democrats for objecting to the short-term spending measure that narrowly passed the House of Representatives on Thursday.
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.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.
Members of Congress are at an impasse over what should be included in a spending bill to keep the government open. Democrats have insisted any compromise must also include protections for the nearly 700,000 young, undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, who were brought to the US as children.Members of Congress are at an impasse over what should be included in a spending bill to keep the government open. Democrats have insisted any compromise must also include protections for the nearly 700,000 young, undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, who were brought to the US as children.
The Dreamers, who were granted temporary legal status under Barack Obama, were newly exposed to the threat of deportation when Donald Trump moved to rescind their protections in September.The Dreamers, who were granted temporary legal status under Barack Obama, were newly exposed to the threat of deportation when Donald Trump moved to rescind their protections in September.
Trump and Republicans have argued immigration is a separate issue and can be dealt with at a later time.Trump and Republicans have argued immigration is a separate issue and can be dealt with at a later time.
There have been 12 government shutdowns in the US since 1981, although ranging in duration. The longest occurred under Bill Clinton, lasting a total of 21 days from December 1995 to January 1996, when the then House speaker, Newt Gingrich, demanded sharp cuts to government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and welfare.There have been 12 government shutdowns in the US since 1981, although ranging in duration. The longest occurred under Bill Clinton, lasting a total of 21 days from December 1995 to January 1996, when the then House speaker, Newt Gingrich, demanded sharp cuts to government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and welfare.
The most recent shutdown transpired under Obama in 2013, pitting the president against the Republican-led House of Representatives. Republicans refused to support a spending bill that included funding for Obama’s healthcare law, resulting in a 16-day shutdown that at its peak affected 850,000 federal employees.The most recent shutdown transpired under Obama in 2013, pitting the president against the Republican-led House of Representatives. Republicans refused to support a spending bill that included funding for Obama’s healthcare law, resulting in a 16-day shutdown that at its peak affected 850,000 federal employees.
A government shutdown would cost the US roughly $6.5bn a week, according to a report by S&P Global analysts. “A disruption in government spending means no government paychecks to spend; lost business and revenue to private contractors; lost sales at retail shops, particularly those that circle now-closed national parks; and less tax revenue for Uncle Sam,” the report stated. “That means less economic activity and fewer jobs.”A government shutdown would cost the US roughly $6.5bn a week, according to a report by S&P Global analysts. “A disruption in government spending means no government paychecks to spend; lost business and revenue to private contractors; lost sales at retail shops, particularly those that circle now-closed national parks; and less tax revenue for Uncle Sam,” the report stated. “That means less economic activity and fewer jobs.”
Nearly 1 million people would not receive regular paychecks in the event of a shutdown. In previous shutdowns, furloughed employees have been paid retrospectively – but those payments have often been delayed.Nearly 1 million people would not receive regular paychecks in the event of a shutdown. In previous shutdowns, furloughed employees have been paid retrospectively – but those payments have often been delayed.
Sabrina SiddiquiSabrina Siddiqui
“We do not want a shutdown,” White House budget director Mick Mulvaney told reporters at a briefing on Friday, before putting the onus on Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer. “We do not want a shutdown,” the White House budget director, Mick Mulvaney, told reporters, before putting the blame on the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer.
“If Mr Schumer insists on it, he is in a position to force this on the American people.” “If Mr Schumer insists on it,” Mulvaney said, “he is in a position to force this on the American people.”
Republicans have been trying to shift the blame to Democrats by calling this the “Schumer shutdown”. Republicans have sought to popularise the term the “Schumer shutdown”.
The White House briefing came as Donald Trump prepared to mark his first year in office on Saturday, potentially becoming the first president to oversee a shutdown with a single party in control of the government. Trump, who is set to celebrate his one-year anniversary with a lavish dinner party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, raised the prospect of a shutdown on Twitter on Friday, writing: “Shutdown coming? We need more Republican victories in 2018!” But a Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Friday found that 48% of Americans would blame Donald Trump and Republicans in the event of a government shutdown while 28% said the Democrats would be responsible and 18% said both parties would be equally at fault.
House Republican leaders, who wrangled enough conservative votes to pass an extension of government funding through 16 February, said they would send their members home Friday afternoon, escalating pressure on the Senate to act. In a floor speech in the Senate, Mitch McConnell said a vote on the stopgap spending measure should be a “no brainer” but Democrats had been led into a “box canyon”. Democrats were willing to “hold the entire nation hostage” to protect “people who came into the United States illegally”, he said.
The House bill was declared dead on arrival by Democrats in the Senate, who cited a number of shortcomings in the legislation, ranging from immigration to emergency disaster relief. A handful of conservatives in the Senate also objected to the House bill, leaving Republicans short of the 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster. “To even repeat this position out loud is to see how completely ridiculous it is.”Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah, was more blunt. “This is the greatest country in the world, but we do have some really stupid people representing it from time to time,” he said.
A shutdown would place nearly 40% of federal employees on unpaid furlough and is expected to cost the US an estimated $6.5bn a week. Trump was preparing to mark his first year in office on Saturday, potentially as the first president to oversee a shutdown with a single party in control of the government. Trump, who will celebrate his first anniversary with a lavish dinner party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, raised the prospect of a shutdown on Twitter, writing: “Shutdown coming? We need more Republican victories in 2018!”
The primary sticking point for Democrats remained a failure to offer protections for the nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, who were brought to the US as children. Trump rescinded an Obama-era program in September that granted Dreamers temporary legal status, exposing the young immigrants to deportation. House Republican leaders, who found enough conservative votes to pass an extension of government funding through 16 February, said they would send their members home, escalating pressure on the Senate. In a subsequent advisory, House Republicans were told to “remain flexible” as further votes were possible.
Negotiations were severely undermined last week when Trump reportedly questioned the need to admit immigrants from “shithole countries” in reference to Haiti, El Salvador and Africa. In a last-ditch effort to keep the lights on, Trump summoned Schumer to the White House, a person familiar with the invitation said.
Trump then undermined efforts by Republicans to garner support for their bill on Thursday, denouncing the measure on Twitter for including a six-year reauthorization of a popular children’s health insurance program. Schumer has proposed a shorter stopgap measure, which would expire after four or five days, as a way of averting a shutdown without compromising Democrats’ attempts to negotiate an immigration deal.
The White House strongly rejected the notion that the president had been disengaged from the process and bore some of the blame for the breakdown in bipartisan talks. Kevin McCarthy, the House majority leader, called that proposal “unproductive”. Mark Meadows, leader of the powerful conservative House Freedom Caucus, rejected it outright.
“There is no way you could lay this at the feet of the president of the United States. He is actively working to get a deal,” Mulvaney said. Senate Democrats cited a number of shortcomings in the House funding bill, ranging from immigration to emergency disaster relief. A handful of conservatives in the Senate also objected, leaving Republicans short of the 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster.
A shutdown would place nearly 40% of federal employees on unpaid furlough and cost the US an estimated $6.5bn a week.
The primary sticking point for Democrats remained a failure to offer protections for the nearly 700,000 undocumented migrants, known as Dreamers, who were brought to the US as children. In September, Trump rescinded an Obama-era program that granted temporary legal status, exposing the young migrants to deportation.
Negotiations were severely undermined last week when Trump reportedly questioned the need to admit immigrants from “shithole countries”, in reference to Haiti, El Salvador and Africa.
Trump then undermined efforts by Republicans to garner support for their bill, denouncing the measure for including a six-year reauthorization of a popular children’s health insurance program.
The White House strongly rejected the notion that the president had been disengaged and bore some of the blame for the breakdown in bipartisan talks.
“There is no way you could lay this at the feet of the president of the United States,” Mulvaney said. “He is actively working to get a deal.”
Amid the chaos on Friday morning, the Democratic congressman Al Green once again forced the House to vote on Trump’s impeachment. Though the resolution was again postponed on a strong bipartisan vote, it drew more support from Democrats than previously.
US CongressUS Congress
House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives
US immigrationUS immigration
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
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