Senate Republicans Push Fundraising Package Amid Democratic Opposition

Senate Republicans are working on a significant fundraising initiative to ensure the government remains operational, despite Democratic resistance.

On Monday, Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins (R-Maine) took steps to advance a six-bill funding package which includes a contentious Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending bill. Senate Democrats have indicated they might block this bill.

This initial procedural action is just the beginning of a long process, yet it’s critical, considering the severe weather affecting many areas of the country and the potential delays it may cause.

Senate Democrats Warn of Blocking DHS Funding

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R.S.D.) is pushing hard, aware that the government has a fast-approaching deadline for funding by Friday. If this package passes and reaches President Trump’s desk, it would fund the government through September. However, beyond that, lawmakers will need to pass several more spending bills to keep operations going.

The main contention, which poses a risk to the Republicans’ effort to avoid a government shutdown, centers around funding for DHS.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.) and his fellow Democrats expressed their objections to a range of policies following a recent shooting incident in Minneapolis, including the Homeland Funds Act.

Despite a fragile truce recently maintained with Republicans during bipartisan negotiations, Senate Democrats quickly united in their opposition to the funding proposal.

Senator’s Defection in Funding Talks

In previous funding discussions, there was a mostly united Democratic front, with some moderates breaking ranks to assist in reopening the government. However, one member stands out: Senator John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) has consistently objected to any government shutdown attempts. Remarkably, he has sided with Senate Republicans multiple times last year in efforts to reopen the government against his colleagues’ wishes.

Even now, Fetterman remains skeptical about shutting down the government, though he agrees with his party that the DHS bill should be removed from the full funding package.

He emphasized in a statement that a government shutdown would adversely affect funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), especially since the Republicans’ extensive bill proposes investing over $170 billion into DHS over the next few years.

Senate Democrats Call to Remove DHS Funding

Fetterman and others aim to exclude the DHS bill from the overarching package while supporting the other five bills. However, this may lead to a complicated process and a partial government shutdown, as the House would have to return early from its break to address it.

Schumer pinned the blame for any potential shutdown on Thune and the Senate Republicans, despite Senate Democrats’ bipartisan cooperation in the current funding discussions.

“The responsibility lies with Leader Thune and Senate Republicans to avert a partial government shutdown,” Schumer stated. “If he presents these five bills this week, they could be passed swiftly. If not, Republicans will bear the consequences of another government shutdown.”