Senate Republicans and Democrats pass government spending package after President Donald Trump strikes deal, but partial shutdown looms as House must approve modifications.
Senate Republicans and Democrats shattered through partisan rancor and sent a retooled government spending package to the House on Friday evening after President Donald Trump struck a deal to sate Democrats’ demands.
Though lawmakers were able to advance the revamped five-bill package, without the controversial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill and a two-week funding extension to keep the agency afloat, a partial government shutdown is all but guaranteed.
That’s because modifications to the package, and the inclusion of a short-term continuing resolution (CR) for DHS, must be approved by the House. And lawmakers in the lower chamber aren’t set to return to Washington, D.C., until early next week.
Schumer and his caucus are determined to get a series of extra reforms attached, and dropped three categories of restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday that many Republicans have balked at.
„These are not radical demands“, Schumer said on the Senate floor. „They’re basic standards the American people already expect from law enforcement. I hope we can get voting quickly here in the Senate today, so we can move forward on the important work of reining in ICE. The clock is ticking.“
Democrats argued that the tweaks were common sense, and geared toward reducing further incidents during immigration operations around the country on the heels of two fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis, Minn., this month.
„This is not like some wish list“, Sen.
