Following a meeting with President Trump on Monday, congressional leaders indicated that the likelihood of a government shutdown within 48 hours has increased, citing a lack of progress towards a deal to prevent closures scheduled for Wednesday.
Democrats have made it clear that the Republicans’ proposed spending bills are essentially take-it-or-leave-it offers. They are also advocating for the expansion of health subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year.
Both parties reported minimal achievements from the discussions at the White House.
“There’s still a huge difference between us,” remarked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to reporters.
“Their bill doesn’t include even a single Democratic input. That’s unprecedented,” Schumer added. “It’s up to Republicans to decide if they want to avoid a shutdown.”
On the other side, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) pointed the finger back at Democrats.
“This is currently sitting at the Senate desk,” Thune said, brandishing a copy of the StopGap bill outside the White House. “We could take it up tonight. If we did, there wouldn’t be a shutdown. It’s entirely up to the Democrats; they’re the ones causing the deadlock.”
This meeting occurred amid an ongoing struggle not just between Democrats and Trump, but also among Republican factions.
Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) have yet to meet with their GOP counterparts, while Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have argued that the proposed bill is unnecessary if it lacks “clean solutions.”
Yet, Democrats contend that a “clean” continuing resolution (CR) won’t suffice to resolve this impasse. Schumer has frequently pointed to the expired affordable care law subsidies, proposed cuts to Medicaid by the GOP, and other significant budget reductions as major sticking points.
With little flexibility shown by either side, many lawmakers are bracing for the inevitable expiration of funding.
“Unless something changes by morning, it looks like a shutdown is inevitable,” stated Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the GOP leadership, suggesting that Schumer holds responsibility for the stalemate.
Schumer mentioned that he and Trump had discussed health care issues at length, noting that the president seemed to be hearing these concerns for the first time. He pointed out a rift between Trump and GOP leaders regarding the proposed expansion of health subsidies.
Reflecting on their discussions, Schumer highlighted a possible divide between the president and key Republican figures, Thune and Johnson.
However, South Dakota Republicans quickly dismissed this notion, asserting their unity on the issue.
“We’re united. We’re all on the same page,” Thune remarked, seemingly unconvinced by Schumer’s claims.
