House passed another short-term funding plan, Justin Amash asks ‘When will Republicans start limiting government’
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a short-term funding bill Thursday night to fund the government through February 16, sending the measure to the Senate as lawmakers continue to battle to avoid a government shutdown amid the stance from Democrats over young illegal immigrants known as Dreamers.
Democratic opposition has been strong and “no” votes from a few Republican senators make it unclear on Thursday if Congress could stave off a weekend shutdown as the government operates on its third temporary funding extension since the 2018 fiscal year began on October 1.
Justin Amash
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Democrats were aiming to “hold the entire country hostage” by demanding that a “non-imminent problem” related to immigration be resolved immediately. The Kentucky Senator is referring to DACA and the move to reinstate legal status for more than 700,000 immigrants who came to the U.S.as children.
“When will Republicans start limiting government?” asked Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), who voted against the temporary funding plan.
“Republicans control the House, they control the Senate and they control the presidency,” said Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont. “The government stays open if they want it to stay open, and it shuts down if they want it to shut down. It’s time to stop kicking the can down the road and time to start negotiating in good faith.”
Leahy’s remarks are without 100% transparency since the GOP doesn’t have ENOUGH votes to pass the bill alone, needing 100% of Republicans and some Democrats to align with their plan. That is not going to happens and the Democrats are feeling empowered to block the move.
The White House budget director, Mick Mulvaney, said on Friday that the Trump administration is preparing for “what we’re calling the ‘Schumer shutdown.’”
“Make no mistake about it: Senate Democrats are the only ones standing in the way of a fully funded government and a reauthorized health insurance program for children,” Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin said. “This is no time to play politics and force a shutdown. The House has done its job.”
Trump canceled plans to travel to his Florida resort on Friday and will stay in Washington until a spending bill is passed, a White House official said Friday morning.
In an early-morning Twitter post on Friday, Mr. Trump put pressure on Democrats to keep the federal government open.
Government Funding Bill past last night in the House of Representatives. Now Democrats are needed if it is to pass in the Senate – but they want illegal immigration and weak borders. Shutdown coming? We need more Republican victories in 2018!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) Jan. 19, 2018
Scenic overlooks closing were just the beginning. Now joggers are being ticket for being near the parks during the government shutdown of 2013
photo donkeyhotey [email protected]
