Senate Democrats and the White House have managed to strike a deal over government funding, yet there’s still a looming threat of a partial shutdown.
Negotiations led by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and President Trump extended from late Wednesday into Thursday. This was sparked by Schumer demanding additional funding and accusing the White House of hindering discussions with Democratic members.
“There was a Democratic request to separate five bipartisan bills alongside a two-week continuing resolution for the Department of Homeland Security,” Schumer remarked.
In a post, Trump noted, “The only thing that will slow our country down is another prolonged and harmful government shutdown.” He added that he’s “working hard with Congress to fully fund the government without delay.”
Trump emphasized the collaboration among Republicans and Democrats to fund the majority of the government by September, also emphasizing the critical expansion of the Department of Homeland Security, especially the Coast Guard.
He expressed hopes for bipartisan approval on the agreement. It suggests taking the DHS funding bill out of a broader six-bill package. Schumer and his fellow Democrats were clear that they would still support the remaining five measures, including Pentagon funding, even if DHS was excluded.
Additionally, this agreement features a two-week funding extension, called a continuing resolution (CR), to ensure agency operations continue while lawmakers navigate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) limits.
This bipartisan agreement comes after Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Republicans pushed through a test vote on funding, which was rejected by Senate Democrats along with seven Republicans earlier that day.
Republicans are now presented with another chance to bring the bill forward, needing support from both sides to expedite the process.
However, navigating this may prove tricky as several Republican senators, including Ron Johnson, Rick Scott, and Ted Budd, have voiced concerns about certain aspects of the bill.
Moreover, Senator Rand Paul is advocating for a vote on an amendment that would cut millions from “refugee welfare funding,” signaling a potential delay if his proposal isn’t considered.
While many Republicans concur that dropping the DHS bill isn’t ideal, they maintain it’s preferable to risking another government shutdown.
“That’s the only way we’re going to get through this and avoid a prolonged government shutdown,” stated Senator Steve Daines.
Ultimately, the House must concur, even with a deal expected to ensure the passage of the remaining bill and extend DHS funding for another month. The policy discussions are set to resume next week, but critics have already raised concerns over the plan.
