Congress locks in the game of closing chicken as funding deadline approaches

Congress is heading towards the government shutdown at the end of this month with both sides pointing at the other side while refusing to wink.

The House passed a Republican-made government funding bill that quickly rejected the Senate and proposed a competitive proposal to keep the government open, both rooms of lawmakers in their states this week. Senators are not expected to return until September 29, and House members do not return until October.

The deadlock created a game of closing chicken, with Congress heading for no clear path forward on October 1 deadline, with leaders on both sides digging out on the heels and causing blame in the aisle.

“I don’t want to shut down work. The U.S. president doesn’t want to shut down work. Republicans in the Senate don’t want to shut down work,” said Rep. Tom Cole (Oklahoma), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

“If the aircraft is in contact, it’s because Democrats want to shut it down.”

Democrats responded in kind, believing that Republicans control all power leverage in Washington, so Republican leaders will be responsible for any closures that occur.

“We hear the mission of Republicans throughout the year, how Republicans hold presidency, how Republicans control the House, how Republicans control the Senate. Well, if that’s the case, that’s the case – a temporary moment – ​​Republicans will have the shutdown of the government.

“This is a Republican closure.”

Both parties will assume responsibility for the closure of confidence in the other, which weakens any serious effort to seek bipartisan compromise. Cole, who summed up Republican stance, was quick to point out that Republican CR was largely “clean”, meaning it maintained the most spending at the current level.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (DN.Y.) supported those levels in March, with Republicans now accusing him of hypocrisy changing his position in the current battle.

“There is nothing out of reach in this bill, they know,” Cole said.

He added: “If they take the CR we sent, there is enough time to do these things. If they don’t, then we’ll look at the government’s closure. But it depends on the Senate.”

“The house said it.”

Democrats have different ideas. They warned that the Republican budget plan was threatening gut health care plans, including medical research, low-income nutrition benefits and mental health services, through policies that continue to be developed in a large beauty bill by President Trump.

They also demanded quick action to address enhanced Obamacare subsidies that expire at the end of the year.

“Republicans created this bill, and it’s their own budget,” said Rep. Katherine Clark, a Democratic Whip Rep. “And if they want to take health care through a budget, destroy jobs and soar costs – if they want health care to be a luxury that the rich keep – they can do it themselves.”

Intensifying tensions, the Republican leader on Friday canceled the chamber’s scheduled return on Sept. 29 and 30, meaning House lawmakers are not expected to hold meetings to prevent a deadline from closing. The move is intended to bring Senate Democrats to the Republican House bill. But there was only one Senate Democrat, John Fetterman (D-pa.) who supported the bill when he arrived on the floor on Friday, and Schumer showed no sign of support since the vote failed.

Indeed, the democratic opposition only seems to have become more obvious since Johnson’s calendar abbreviation.

“In addition to getting members out of Washington, we have addressed the looming funding deadline, he has extended the Republican holiday for two days,” said Rep. Rosa Delauro, senior Democrat, Rep. Rosa Delauro, a senior Democrat, of the Appropriations Committee. “Speaker Johnson silenced members and closed the houses before the government-wide closure.

“This move is shameful and must be reversed.”

Even some Republicans are concerned about the bad optics of Congress closing its doors because of inaction by lawmakers.

“I hope we’ll come back,” Cole said. “Our leaders have to make this decision, but I plan to come back here. I don’t think it’s a good look to go home when the government is closed.”

Trump started at the White House by urging Republican leaders to cut Democrats from negotiations and forcing Senate Democrats to swallow House bills or potentially blamed for shutdowns.

“Don’t even bother them,” the president told reporters last week.

The proposal seems to have only strengthened Democrats’ determination to oppose the bill, even if the deadline for closures is getting closer and there is no sign of a breakthrough.

“Donald Trump doesn’t want to talk,” Schumer said last week. “You have to have two parties to pass a bill. If you say “not dealing with Democrats,” they say they want to close.”

However, Schumer barely joined the Republicans in March to help pass a similar CR and send it to Trump’s table. As the deadline approaches, they rely on it in similar circumstances this time.

“I believe Senate Democrats will actually vote for it too,” said Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn, a Republican whip. “They won’t shut down the government.”

Emily Brooks contributed the report.

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