government shutdown 2018

[1/22/18] The Senate is now voting on final passage on a three-week spending bill Monday afternoon that would reopen the government. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the vote that he had reached a deal with Republican leaders and that Democrats would vote in favor of the bill.

Senators voted earlier in the afternoon 81-18 to end debate and move to a vote on final passage, which only requires a simple majority: 51 votes. Republican Sens. Mike Lee and Rand Paul voted against ending debate, as did Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Catherine Cortez Masto, Dianne Feinstein, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Mazie Hirono, Patrick Leahy, Ed Markey, Bob Menendez, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Jon Tester, Elizabeth Warren, and Ron Wyden. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, also voted against ending debate.
If final passage is approved in the Senate, the House will have to vote on the proposal. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy anticipated a House vote around 4:30 p.m. Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, signaled Sunday on "Face the Nation" that the House would pass the bill.

"We have agreed that we would accept that in the House, and so we will see sometime today whether or not they have the votes for that," Ryan said. "And that's really where we are right now."

It is unclear, however, if many Democrats will vote in the House for passage. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, is expected to vote "no."

After the House passes the legislation, it will be sent to President Trump's desk. Once Mr. Trump signs it, the government will reopen. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders expects that to be early this evening, she told reporters Monday.

Schumer said ahead of the procedural vote at noon that "we will vote today to reopen the government to continue negotiating" a global agreement with the commitment from GOP leaders that if there isn't a deal by the Feb. 8 deadline, the Senate will immediately proceed to legislation dealing with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Schumer said it will be "neutral and fair to all sides" that will get an up or down vote on the floor.

[1/20/18] A Senate attempt to move forward with a short-term spending bill vote failed Friday night, sending the government into a shutdown on the one-year anniversary of President Trump's inauguration.

Republican senators failed to capture the 60 votes they needed to even vote on the bill that would have funded the government for 30 days. Five Democrats voted with the Republicans to push a spending bill vote, and four Republicans voted with Democrats. The House passed the 30-day spending bill Thursday night. Debate over what to do next continued Saturday, with Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, saying he would be open to a three-week continuing resolution (CR), instead of a four-week one.

The Senate adjourned early Saturday and reconvened at noon. McConnell told senators they should expect votes on Saturday, "day one of the senate Democrats' government shutdown," as he described it Saturday. The House also reconvened.

"We do some crazy things in Washington, but this is utter madness," Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said on the House floor at noon.

The White House on Saturday indicated it would not negotiate on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program while the government is shutdown, but Democrats want a fix on that immigration issue, putting the parties at a seeming impasse.

After midnight, McConnell blamed Democrats for "the shoe-horning of illegal immigration into this debate." But Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said he even offered full funding for the border wall in an earlier meeting Friday with Mr. Trump.

"Even that was not enough to entice the president to finish the deal," said Schumer, who also noticed that a handful of Republicans voted with Democrats and blamed "discord" on the Republican side.

The White House called a lid shortly before 11 p.m. Friday, meaning the president will not be speaking — unless he tweets. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders blamed Democrats for the shutdown.

"Senate Democrats own the Schumer Shutdown," she said. "Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country's ability to serve all Americans. We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators. When Democrats start paying our armed forces and first responders we will reopen negotiations on immigration reform. During this politically manufactured Schumer Shutdown, the president and his administration will fight for and protect the American people."

Vice President Mike Pence, on board Air Force Two on his way to the Middle East, issued this statement.

"Our administration worked in good faith to put a bipartisan deal on the table that would strengthen our borders, end chain migration, eliminate the visa lottery, and deal compassionately with DACA," Pence said. "But rather than solve problems, Democratic leadership preferred a shutdown that has dangerous consequences for our national defense. Their action tonight — or lack thereof — is unconscionable. Our administration will do everything within our power to support the brave men and women in uniform who stand on the front lines of freedom. But as of tonight, due to a completely avoidable government shutdown, they'll stand their post without pay."

On Capitol Hill Friday night, the scene was one of uncertainty and chaos.

Shortly before the 10 p.m. vote, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said there was "no deal" reached among Republicans to ensure passage. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, announced he was a "no" on the 30-day deal, making a shutdown even more certain.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, said blamed Mr. Trump, at least partially, for the failure to reach a deal. Blumenthal said that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and Mr. Trump were close to reaching a comprehensive agreement earlier Friday, but the president walked away after talking to the hard right.