Senate hustles to break GOP blockade ahead of Friday shutdown deadline
Senate leaders are racing to land a deal that would thwart a government shutdown by appeasing a Republican blockade before funding runs out Friday night.
Several Republican senators continue to resist swift passage of astopgap spending bill that would give Congress three more weeks to negotiate a broad bipartisan spending package. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is demanding that the chamber first vote on cutting off federal cash to schools and child care centers that require kids to get Covid vaccines. Republicans are also seeking a vote to bar funding from being used to provide crack pipes and another that would make it harder for Congress to raise taxes or increase the nation’s borrowing limit.
“I think if we had the votes now, we’d probably win them,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said Wednesday night. “We’re ready to vote those.”
Several Democratic senators are expected to miss votes because of personal or family health issues, so Republicans now stand a chance at prevailing if their amendments are brought to a vote. That outcome could itself trigger a shutdown, since tweaking the funding patch would send it back to the House, which already adjourned last week for an 18-day break in floor action, prompting the chamber’s more than 400 lawmakers to jet off to all corners of the country.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/senate-hustles-to-break-gop-blockade-ahead-of-friday-shutdown-deadline/ar-AATX77u
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