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Government shutdown: Republicans and Democrats scramble to end impasse Government shutdown: Democrats will support bill to end deadlock, Schumer says
(35 minutes later)
Senate set to vote at 12 noon to reopen the government Minority leader Chuck Schumer says his party supports Senate bill
Mitch McConnell offers to consider legislation to protect Dreamers Paul Ryan says if Senate passes spending bill, House will pass it too
Lauren Gambino in Washington Lauren Gambino,
Mon 22 Jan 2018 16.53 GMT Ben Jacobs and
Sabrina Siddiqui in Washington
Mon 22 Jan 2018 17.27 GMT
Last modified on Mon 22 Jan 2018 17.07 GMT First published on Mon 22 Jan 2018 16.53 GMT
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The federal government shutdown dragged into the working week on Monday, ensuring hundreds of thousands of federal employees would stay home, as lawmakers appeared to inch closer to a resolution to the impasse over immigration. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said his party would support a short-term spending measure in the Senate on Monday, ending a days-long impasse and paving the way for the reopening of the federal government.
A bipartisan group of 20 senators continued to work feverishly before a vote to advance a temporary spending bill, scheduled at 12 noon on Monday. The measure would fund the federal government through 8 February – a week earlier than the bill passed by the House – while extending for six years a popular health insurance program, Chip, that provides coverage to 9 million children. The measure – which funds the government through 8 February, while extending for six years a popular health insurance program, Chip, that provides coverage to 9 million children – must go to the House, and then to Donald Trump’s desk, before federal employees can go back to work.
Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, offered to consider legislation that would protect Dreamers, young undocumented migrants brought to the US as children. Republican House speaker Paul Ryan said on Monday that if the Senate passed the spending bill, the House would pass it. He has refused to negotiate on an immigration deal while the government remains shut down.
Earlier Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate majority leader, had offered to consider legislation that would protect Dreamers, young undocumented migrants brought to the US as children.
“This immigration debate will have a level playing field at the outset and an amendment process that’s fair to all sides,” McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor on Monday.“This immigration debate will have a level playing field at the outset and an amendment process that’s fair to all sides,” McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor on Monday.
The status of Dreamers was thrown into uncertainty in September, when Donald Trump rescinded an Obama-era program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca), that allowed hundreds of thousands to work and study without fear of deportation. Speaking on the floor before the vote, Schumer placed the blame on the shutdown squarely on the White House. He mocked Trump for not engaging in negotiations, saying “the great deal-making president sat on the sidelines”.
However, he said he felt confident that McConnell would abide by the terms of the deal they reached and tried to place the burden on following through on the majority leader. “The Republican majority now has 17 days to prevent the Dreamers from being deported,” said Schumer.
McConnell spoke briefly and took a small victory lap. “If we learned anything in this process, the strategy of shutting down of the government over issue of illegal immigration is something the American people didn’t understand and would not have understood in the future.”
The status of Dreamers was thrown into uncertainty in September, when Trump rescinded an Obama-era program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca), that allowed hundreds of thousands to work and study without fear of deportation.
Trump allowed a six-month grace period for Congress to pass a legislative solution. McConnell’s proposal is to allow debate and a vote on an immigration bill that would pair border security enforcement with a Daca fix – if bipartisan agreement does not emerge before federal funding runs out on 8 February.Trump allowed a six-month grace period for Congress to pass a legislative solution. McConnell’s proposal is to allow debate and a vote on an immigration bill that would pair border security enforcement with a Daca fix – if bipartisan agreement does not emerge before federal funding runs out on 8 February.
But many Democrats were wary, fearing they would not have the leverage to force an immigration vote if a spending bill was passed.But many Democrats were wary, fearing they would not have the leverage to force an immigration vote if a spending bill was passed.
Richard Blumenthal, a senator from Connecticut, told CNN the offer was an “an empty promise, a transparent ploy without any commitment to making dreamers legislation part of a must-pass bill”. Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic senator from Connecticut, told CNN the offer was an “an empty promise, a transparent ploy without any commitment to making dreamers legislation part of a must-pass bill”.
Approving a spending measure requires 60 votes in the Senate. On Friday, Democrats and a handful of Republicans blocked a short-term bill passed by the House the day before.Approving a spending measure requires 60 votes in the Senate. On Friday, Democrats and a handful of Republicans blocked a short-term bill passed by the House the day before.
Some lawmakers urged McConnell to make a concrete commitment to bring up legislation. Progressive activists and immigration advocates had pressured Democrats to reject McConnell’s proposal without an immigration deal in place.
“I do think it would be helpful if the language were a little bit stronger because the level of tension is so high,” said Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine working on a bipartisan solution to the shutdown.
“But you have to remember that initially the majority leader was not talking about this issue so he has moved to accommodate the concerns that have been raised.”
Progressive activists and immigration advocates pressured Democrats to reject McConnell’s proposal without an immigration deal in place.
“To anyone considering such a move let me be clear: promises won’t protect anyone from deportation,” Greisa Martínez, advocacy director at United We Dream and a Daca recipient herself, said on a conference call with reporters.“To anyone considering such a move let me be clear: promises won’t protect anyone from deportation,” Greisa Martínez, advocacy director at United We Dream and a Daca recipient herself, said on a conference call with reporters.
Even if the Senate were to take up immigration legislation, there is no guarantee House Republican leadership would take action on a subject that fiercely divides their caucus.Even if the Senate were to take up immigration legislation, there is no guarantee House Republican leadership would take action on a subject that fiercely divides their caucus.
When asked Monday he believed a reasonable immigration bill could pass the House, Delaware Democrat Chris Coons snickered. “Ha, that’s an excellent question,” said Coons. “Go ask some House members.”When asked Monday he believed a reasonable immigration bill could pass the House, Delaware Democrat Chris Coons snickered. “Ha, that’s an excellent question,” said Coons. “Go ask some House members.”
Paul Ryan, the House speaker, has refused to negotiate over immigration until the shutdown is over, earning rare praise from far-right conservatives. “I think the reality is ... you can’t get a commitment from the House,” Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, told reporters.
“Open the government and then we’ll resume negotiations, it’s just that clear,” Ryan said on Fox & Friends on Monday. But if the Senate was able to pass an immigration bill, he added, there would be “tremendous pressure” on Trump and House Republicans to act. “Do they really want to start deporting third-grade teachers on March 5?”
Over the weekend, Democrats and Republicans blamed each other for the shutdown.Over the weekend, Democrats and Republicans blamed each other for the shutdown.
Trump and Republicans attacked Democrats for prioritizing undocumented migrants over Americans. Democrats cited polling that showed the public blame Republicans, who run both houses of Congress and the White House.Trump and Republicans attacked Democrats for prioritizing undocumented migrants over Americans. Democrats cited polling that showed the public blame Republicans, who run both houses of Congress and the White House.
On Monday, Trump, who has been largely removed from negotiations, went back on the attack on Twitter, writing: “The Democrats are turning down services and security for citizens in favor of services and security for non-citizens. Not good!”On Monday, Trump, who has been largely removed from negotiations, went back on the attack on Twitter, writing: “The Democrats are turning down services and security for citizens in favor of services and security for non-citizens. Not good!”
He added: “Democrats have shut down our government in the interests of their far left base. They don’t want to do it but are powerless!He added: “Democrats have shut down our government in the interests of their far left base. They don’t want to do it but are powerless!
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