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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Government shutdown: Democrats back bill to end deadlock | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Minority leader Chuck Schumer says his party supports Senate bill | Minority leader Chuck Schumer says his party supports Senate bill |
| Paul Ryan says if Senate passes spending bill, House will pass it too | Paul Ryan says if Senate passes spending bill, House will pass it too |
| Lauren Gambino, | Lauren Gambino, |
| Ben Jacobs and | Ben Jacobs and |
| Sabrina Siddiqui in Washington | Sabrina Siddiqui in Washington |
| Mon 22 Jan 2018 17.27 GMT | Mon 22 Jan 2018 17.27 GMT |
| First published on Mon 22 Jan 2018 16.53 GMT | First published on Mon 22 Jan 2018 16.53 GMT |
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| The Senate overwhelmingly voted to advance a short-term spending measure on Monday, after Democrats agreed to support the bill, ending a days-long impasse and paving the way for the reopening of the federal government. | |
| Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer announced on Monday that his party would support the legislation – 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. | |
| A preliminary vote to advance the bill passed 81-18. Sixteen Democrats and two libertarian-minded Republicans voted against it. Among them were a number of potential presidential candidates in 2020 including Cory Booker, Kristen Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. | |
| The Senate must still vote on final passage of the bill before it goes to the House. It must then be signed by Donald Trump before federal employees can go back to work. | |
| 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 – a key sticking point – 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. | 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. |
| 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”. | 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. | 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.” | 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.” |
| 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. | |
| 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. | 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 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”. | 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”. |
| “I don’t believe he made any commitment whatsoever,” Kamala Harris, a senator from California who opposed the bill, said of McConnell. | |
| “And I think it would be foolhardy to believe that he made a commitment.” | |
| 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. |
| Progressive activists and immigration advocates had pressured Democrats to reject McConnell’s proposal without an immigration deal in place. | Progressive activists and immigration advocates had 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.” |
| “I think the reality is ... you can’t get a commitment from the House,” Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, told reporters. | “I think the reality is ... you can’t get a commitment from the House,” Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, told reporters. |
| 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?” | 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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