House backs spending bill, Senate fate unclear

The Capitol Building as seen in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016.

The House of Representatives passed the legislation on Thursday. Charles Schumer of NY, the incoming Democratic leader.

But the bill has been met with resistance from Senate Republicans who are wary of bailing out unionized workers. The vote sends the bill to President Barack Obama. A vote to overcome a filibuster of that measure, which would also clear the way for long-delayed funding of $170 million to help Flint fix its lead-tainted water system, was to follow action on the stopgap spending bill.

Naturally, Democrats are already trying to blame the shutdown they intend to cause on the GOP. Sen.

Senate Democrats have asked McConnell to call for a vote on a funding package for a year now.

Senate Democrats wanted Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), who hails from Kentucky, a big coal-mining state, to agree to a one-year extension of a program to help fund health care for miners.

The bill provides disaster relief to Louisiana after summer flooding and $10.1 billion in emergency war-fighting money for the Pentagon.

Manchin’s name has been floated as a possible Secretary of State under President-elect Donald Trump.

A key sticking point: Health-care benefits for thousands of retired coal miners that are set to lapse on December 31.

“The fact that we’re even talking about this is an indication of the failure of Republicans to govern”, Mr. Schultz said, adding that Republicans had a “basic responsibility” to find a way to fund the government given their control of both chambers of Congress. Despite opposition from Casey and several Democrats from coal-mining states, the spending bill is expected to pass Friday night – allowing them to register opposition without the disruption of a shutdown.

“They gave us four months and I guess we’re supposed to be happy with that”, Manchin said.

His Republican counterpart from West Virginia, Sen.

“These are coal miners who work for decades in treacherous conditions and who earn these benefits”. But Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, disputed that, saying, “The reality is that the House is attempting to run us out of time in order to prevent this bill from moving forward”. “Coal prices plummeted and other sources of energy like natural gas have become more prevalent”. The lawmakers plan to push the bill next year. A segment of Democrats said they want to take a stand on issues that Trump campaigned on, and the looming deadlines offered them a chance to do that right away.

Tester says he hopes Trump will support his bill. Manchin told reporters, however, that “I’m not looking for a job”.

The two measures are the last major items on the House agenda before lawmakers leave for the year, capping a tumultuous, often bitter two-year session of Congress.

Manchin says Democrats “will carry the momentum” of the current political standoff “and win the fight in January”.

The government would have partially shut down at midnight Friday had an agreement not been reached. A measure approved by the House to keep the government open would extend the benefits for four months, but Democrats want the extension to last the year.

The holdup by Manchin and others means the Senate might not be able to vote on the funding bill until sometime this weekend, possibly throwing the government into a shutdown mode for part of Saturday and Sunday.

“Republicans are bragging about the kind of support they have from workers in coal country … and now are prepared to just extend their health care for (four) months”, said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.

Without congressional intervention, about 16,000 retired miners in seven states will lose their health care coverage by the end of the year.

Republicans insisted the deal was the best they could get, heightening the possibility the government could close at midnight Friday.

“This is a good time to take yes for an answer”.