US defence, domestic spending hike labeled as monstrosity

The Republican-controlled House passed a 515-page stopgap bill on a largely party-line 245 to 182 vote Tuesday evening to keep government open until March 23.

“This bill is a product of extensive negotiations among congressional leaders and the White House”.

Pelosi – who on Wednesday spoke for eight straight hours on the chamber’s floor in opposition to the measure – said Thursday that she would oppose the bill. Rand Paul mounted a one-man protest forcing a temporary shutdown.

The Senate is now expected to rewrite that measure, pass it and send it back for House approval before today’s funding deadline – provided there are no efforts to slow the process in the Senate.

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget “is now preparing for a lapse in appropriations”, an OMB official said on condition of anonymity, calling on lawmakers to get the measure to President Donald Trump’s desk “without delay”.

The measure’s advance had been delayed by Kentucky GOP Sen.

It’s clear that Senate Democrats have no appetite for another government shutdown. Aides on both sides are hopeful they can avoid it, but, well, the Senate is the Senate so contingency plans are available.

But the bill’s path through the House could prove dicey. The spending limits were agreed to by Congress after Tea Party Republicans threatened to shutdown the government.

On Tuesday, White House chief of staff John Kelly threw fuel on the dispute as he defended Trump’s proposed solution. A shutdown essentially cuts the federal workforce in half, with those dubbed non-essential not allowed to work.

He notes that his office is “hopeful that this lapse in appropriations will be of short duration”.

It would also deprive Senate Democrats of a tool they could use to stymie the Trump administration, which has been plagued by repeated accusations of Executive Branch abuses, including unprecedented nepotism and conflicts of interest, and obstruction of justice in the Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry into alleged election meddling in 2016.

Pence is in South Korea, where he is leading the US delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. The move was needed in order to keep the government operating to give lawmakers more time to fully implement the two-year budget pact.

Will there be a shutdown: Very unlikely in the end, but expect some drama before it’s all said and done.

But if it is not passed, most federal departments and agencies shut down. “Vote against the budget”. Military and essential workers would remain on the job regardless.

Senator Paul used Senate rules to delay a vote in the chamber until early Friday morning, angering his colleagues in the process. “It’s past time to pass this bill and provide long-term certainty to families, businesses, and our military, instead of limping along month by month”.

Pence is set to lead the US delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday evening. Services deemed essential would continue, including Social Security payments, the air traffic control system and law enforcement.

A stopgap bill to keep the U.S. government from another shut down have been approved by the house of representatives on Tuesday.

Democrats like Pelosi are pushing for the bill to include provisions for “Dreamers” – immigrants brought illegally to the U.S.by their parents.

“‘I talked to him this afternoon”, he said.

Maloney called it “drunken-sailor spending that comes right after Republicans in Washington put trillions in new debt on our country’s credit card…”

Senators eventually voted 71-28 to approve the $400bn (£286bn) budget deal, with the bill moving to the House of Representatives for a further vote.