Listen to the article
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday urged Senate Democrats to advance the government funding package that must become law before the weekend to avoid a partial shutdown, rejecting their proposal to remove the Homeland Security funding bill.
Democrats in the upper chamber say they are ready to help pass five of the six bills, but insist the Homeland Security spending measure must be stripped and renegotiated to include more constraints on federal immigration enforcement after officers killed a second American citizen in Minnesota this weekend.
“We absolutely do not want to see that funding lapse and we want the Senate to move forward with passing the bipartisan appropriations package that was negotiated on a bipartisan basis,” Leavitt said.
Negotiators in Congress have reached bipartisan consensus on each of the dozen full-year government spending bills during the last few months, though the final bills still need to clear the Senate and become law.
Funding for hundreds of programs in those measures lapses Friday at midnight, when the stopgap spending law Congress approved at the end of the last shutdown expires.
A partial shutdown would affect the Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, State, Transportation and Treasury. The Executive Office of the President, Supreme Court and judicial branch would also go without funding if a solution cannot be reached in time.
Leavitt said during the briefing that “policy discussions on immigration in Minnesota are happening” and pointed to the phone call that President Donald Trump and Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz had earlier in the day.
“But that should not be at the expense of government funding for the American people, which would include FEMA funding,” Leavitt said. “And we are in the midst of the storm that took place over the weekend and many Americans are still being impacted by that.”
The Homeland Security appropriations bill funds numerous programs in addition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. The Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Flood Insurance Fund, Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration are among the other agencies that rely on the bill for budget authority.
Schumer demands removal of DHS bill
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a statement that Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., should remove the Homeland Security funding bill from the larger package before the deadline to avoid a lapse in funding.
“The responsibility to prevent a partial government shutdown is on Leader Thune and Senate Republicans,” he wrote. “If Leader Thune puts those five bills on the floor this week, we can pass them right away. If not, Republicans will again be responsible for another government shutdown.”
Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, in a brief floor speech urged lawmakers from both political parties to vote to advance the full funding package, calling the possibility of another shutdown “harmful, unnecessary and disastrous.”
“I hope we can come together in a constructive way to get this done and to ensure that we do not lurch into a dangerous and detrimental government shutdown,” she said.
Collins did acknowledge the killing of Alex Pretti over the weekend, saying his “tragic death” had “refocused attention on the Homeland Security bill and I recognize that and share the concerns.”
“I do want to point out to my colleagues that there are many safeguards that have been put in this bill that I would encourage them to review,” Collins added without going into detail. “And that the vast majority of the funding in this bill, more than 80%, is for non-immigration and non-border security functions.”
A Senate Republican aide, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, said GOP leaders are “determined to not have another government shutdown.”
“We will move forward as planned and hope Democrats can find a path forward to join us,” the aide added.
A Senate Democratic leadership aide said that “Republicans and the White House have reached out but have not yet raised any realistic solutions.”
‘Government shutdowns do not help anyone’
Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Katie Britt, R-Ala., wrote in a social media post that the array of programs in that bill “are critical to keeping Americans safe and must be funded.”
“We know from recent history that government shutdowns do not help anyone and are not in the best interest of the American people,” Britt wrote, referring to the shutdown of historic length that ended Nov. 12. “As we approach a government funding deadline, I remain committed to finding a pathway forward.”
Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee ranking member Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union with Jake Tapper & Dana Bash” that he couldn’t “vote to fund this lawless Department of Homeland Security.”
“And remember, it’s not just in Minnesota. They’re violating the law all over the country,” Murphy said. “I spent last week in Texas where they are locking up 2-year-old and 3-year-old kids who are here in the United States legally, just for the purpose of traumatizing them.”
Fetterman, Shaheen part ways
Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman appeared to be the only member of his party in that chamber to support the entire package, writing in a statement he “will never vote to shut our government down, especially our Defense Department.”
“I reject the calls to defund or abolish ICE. I strongly disagree with many strategies and practices ICE deployed in Minneapolis, and believe that must change,” Fetterman wrote. “I want a conversation on the DHS appropriations bill and support stripping it from the minibus. It is unlikely that will happen and our country will suffer another shutdown.”
New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen backed the strategy of pulling out the Homeland Security spending bill and allowing the other five government funding bills to become law before the shutdown deadline.
“The Senate then needs to have a real bipartisan discussion about what additional reforms we need to put in place to prevent tragedies like Minneapolis from happening across the country,” Shaheen wrote in a social media post. “I will vote against DHS’s funding until additional reforms are in place.”
This story was originally published by Stateline.
Read the full article here
23 Comments
The partial shutdown would affect not only the federal government but also state and local governments that rely on federal funding for various programs.
The Executive Office of the President will be affected by a partial shutdown, which could limit the administration’s ability to respond to pressing issues.
The fact that Democrats are willing to pass five of the six bills, but insist on renegotiating the Homeland Security spending measure, suggests that a compromise may be possible.
However, it’s unclear if the Senate Republicans will be willing to compromise on the immigration enforcement constraints.
The phone call between President Donald Trump and Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is a positive step towards addressing the situation in Minnesota, but it’s unclear how it will impact the government funding negotiations.
The funding lapse on Friday at midnight is a critical deadline, and it’s essential that the Senate takes immediate action to pass the bipartisan appropriations package.
The fact that a partial shutdown would affect the Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, and others is a serious concern, and a solution needs to be reached as soon as possible.
The impact on the Department of Defense would be particularly significant, given its critical role in national security.
A partial shutdown would have significant consequences for the economy, particularly given the current economic uncertainty.
The fact that funding for hundreds of programs lapses on Friday at midnight is concerning, especially with the recent storm that affected many Americans and the need for FEMA funding.
I agree, it’s crucial that the Senate passes the bipartisan appropriations package to avoid a partial shutdown and ensure continued funding for essential services.
The transportation sector, including the Transportation Security Administration, will be severely impacted by a partial shutdown, which could have significant economic consequences.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s demand to remove the Homeland Security funding bill from the larger package may be a viable solution to avoid a partial government shutdown.
The situation in Minnesota, where a second American citizen was killed, highlights the need for a thorough review of federal immigration enforcement policies.
Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins’ urging lawmakers to pass the bipartisan appropriations package is a step in the right direction, but it’s unclear if it will be enough to avoid a partial shutdown.
The National Flood Insurance Fund, which relies on the Homeland Security appropriations bill, is essential for many Americans affected by natural disasters.
I’m skeptical about the Senate’s ability to reach a consensus on the Homeland Security funding bill, given the disagreement over immigration enforcement constraints.
It’s concerning that the Supreme Court and judicial branch would also go without funding in the event of a partial shutdown, which could have long-term implications for the justice system.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s statement that ‘policy discussions on immigration in Minnesota are happening’ is reassuring, but more needs to be done to address the issue.
It’s surprising that negotiators in Congress have reached bipartisan consensus on each of the dozen full-year government spending bills, but the final bills still need to clear the Senate and become law.
The Housing and Urban Development department, which will be affected by a partial shutdown, is crucial for providing affordable housing and supporting low-income communities.
The Labor Department, which will be impacted by a partial shutdown, plays a critical role in protecting workers’ rights and providing essential services.
The Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other agencies that rely on the Homeland Security appropriations bill for budget authority will be severely impacted by a partial shutdown.