Democrats ‘have come to their senses’ on shutdown vote

Before McConnell spoke, Democratic leaders were pushing lawmakers to oppose a Republican bill to reopen government in a vote scheduled for noon, according to aides, who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss strategy. In the House, the measure passed 266-150. Republicans argued that Democrats shuttered the government over “illegal immigration” in a bid to gin up enthusiasm among their base.

Approval for funding was stalled in Congress, where Republicans tried to garner support for a bipartisan agreement while Democrats initially refused to budge on immigration issues.

Taxes were collected, workers were paid, and a caretaker government passed a budget. “And the first step, the very first step, is ending the shutdown”, he said.

And with the fundamental row on immigration and funding of Trump’s border wall unresolved, Republicans and Democrats may very well find themselves back in a similar stalemate come February 9.

The measure needed 60 votes, and Democrats provided 33 of the 81 it got.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement after casting a vote to end the federal government shutdown. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders expects that to be early this evening, she told reporters Monday.

In exchange for Democratic votes on a three-week spending measure, the GOP leadership in the Senate would agree to address immigration policy and other pressing legislative matters in the coming weeks.

“It is a shame that the Senate and the American people have had to endure such hand-wringing and finger-pointing and stridency to secure a guarantee (of a Senate vote)”, Democratic Minority Leader Charles Schumer said shortly before the 81-18 vote.

“So long as the government remains open, it would be my intention to take up legislation here in the Senate that would address DACA, border security and related issues as well as disaster relief, defense funding, health care and other important matters”, the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor. “This is his shutdown”, Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said on the CBS “Face the Nation” program.

Tensions were already inflamed after Trump reportedly used a vulgarity to refer to African countries and disparaged Haiti during a discussion of USA visa and immigration policies with a bipartisan group of senators earlier this month. “He’s got a good understanding of what will sell, and every time we have a proposal it is only yanked back by staff members”.

Other groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union expressed disappointment and shared similar criticism. Among those also opposing the measure were Elizabeth Warren of MA and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Democrats have been pushing a bipartisan compromise that would create a pathway to citizenship for those immigrants, known as “DREAMers”.

It is the fourth temporary measure since October because Capitol Hill can not agree a longer-term budget.

FINGER POINTING CONTINUESHouse Speaker Paul Ryan told “Fox and Friends” on Monday that if the Senate approved a temporary spending bill to reopen the government through February 8, the House would approve it, too. Its effects will likely be more visible on Monday, when financial markets and federal offices open. The Republicans had been insisting on longer, at least a month.

Republican and Democratic leaders of the U.S. Senate held talks on Sunday seeking to break an impasse that has kept the U.S. government shut down for two days, but it was unclear if a deal could be struck to reopen federal agencies by the start of the work week.

In fact, Trump, who regularly disrupted negotiations in recent weeks, had been a relatively subdued player in the weekend debate.

Markets remained calm on Monday morning as world stocks and USA bond markets largely shrugged off Washington’s standoff even as the dollar continued its pullback.

Should Democrats blink first, he predicted, “The era of good feeling quickly will be replaced by anger and disappointment”.

They gathered again Sunday in Las Vegas, chanting: “Power to the polls”.

Another 16 percent said they don’t know or don’t have an opinion.

Given the lack of progress, solving the issue within three weeks – and in turn avoiding another shutdown – seems like a hard prospect, Valliere said. “Our efforts helped bring the two leaders together, helped make sure that they talked and helped make sure that a deal got done”.

This goes beyond a willingness to take McConnell’s word – far beyond.

The shutdown left a lot of lawmakers feeling down on themselves.

Social Security and most other safety-net programs were unaffected by the lapse in federal spending authority.

Only “essential” government employees will report to work while the shutdown is still active.