Government Shutdown 2015: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Trying to

One reason for the timing is that Republicans hope the Pontiff will notice how fastidious Republicans are on abortion and contraception. The Times said that the campaign against the reproductive health organization is based on deceptive smear videos, and ultimately comes down to denying women “the healthcare they need” and obstructing the functioning of government. So far, however, the latter hope was wishful thinking.

Cruz’ tactics and penchant for self-promotion have other Senate Republicans such as Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H. – who faces re-election next year in a state that Democrats have carried in three consecutive presidential contests – openly frustrated.

A vote on the spending bill is slated for Thursday, the same day Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of Congress. In a bit of Kabuki, Democrats are expected to filibuster the legislation, so McConnell can then introduce a “clean” short-term funding measure.

In the wake of moves by the Senate’s top Republican to advance a stopgap spending bill free of the dispute over Planned Parenthood, House GOP leaders may be ready to plot the same course.

Kelly Ayotte (NH) skewered her fellow Republicans for risking a shutdown just to make a point about Planned Parenthood.

The letter said the 16-day federal government shutdown in 2013 cost the economy an estimated $24 billion and stalled the creation of more than 100,000 private-sector jobs.

But Scott Ainsworth, a political science professor at the University of Georgia, said the group is “probably happiest when it isn’t quite so much in the public eye”. “I’m exhausted of the president’s game on this”.

As I explained on the House floor, I am passionately pro-life – but you don’t have to agree with me to support this modest and reasonable bill. The House isn’t even in session until Thursday, less than a week before the government runs out of money.

The freshmen GOP House members include Pennsylvania’s Ryan Costello, New York’s Elise Stafanik, American Samoa’s Amata Radewagen and Nevada’s Cresent Hardy.

Another Republican Senator, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee agreed with Ayotte.

Many of us think that shutting down huge portions of the federal government on a permanent basis would be a positive achievement. “That’s what we’ll be doing”. The bill would keep the government open until mid-December, pushing final votes until early next week on the eve of the funding deadline. “There are a lot of Republicans who are for burning down the House if they don’t get their way”. This is about ensuring that laws are followed, that Americans know how their money is being spent, and that the conscience rights of taxpayers are respected. This does not bother the so-called Liberty Caucus in Congress, however.

McConnell appears to enjoy support from a majority of the Republican rank and file. The business community is tearing its hair out over the prospect of another shutdown. Why go through all that melodrama again only to fail once more? “They don’t like the government but they don’t want it shut down”.