Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday called on President Donald Trump to hold a meeting with Democrats to agree on a deal to prevent a government shutdown as the deadline to fund the government approaches.
In an interview with CNN, Schumer, a few days before the expiration of federal funding on September 30, said, “I hope and pray that Trump will sit down with us and negotiate a bipartisan bill,” he said, “State of the Union.”
The move of Schumer follows the rejection of Republican and Democratic plans to continue funding the government at least temporarily by the Senate last week, fueling the chances of a shutdown.
With a looming threat of a shutdown, each side is keen to paint the opposing party as one who is to blame in case funding eventually runs dry.
On Sunday, Schumer states, “It’s the Republicans shutting down the government first.” Negotiations over health care have become a red line for Congressional Democrats.
Furthermore, legislators are urging the funding bill to contain an extension of the expanded tax credits under the “Affordable Care Act”, which is about to end by this year.
Therefore, Republicans do not seem to be giving in to the demands of the Democrats, highlighting the stalemate. In March, Schumer supported Republicans to prevent a government shutdown, which led to outrage among his party members. This time, he seems to be holding the line.
However, when reporters asked him several times on Sunday whether he would end up voting against a GOP funding bill should the Republicans fail to negotiate, Schumer gave no direct answer. He replied, “We hope it doesn’t come to that.”
On Saturday, Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York wrote a letter to Trump requesting a meeting with Democrats “to reach an agreement to keep the government open.”
On late Saturday, President Trump said he would “love” to meet the Congressional Democrats, he further said, “it’s going to have any impact.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on his part, claims that the upper house can enact legislation to prevent a shutdown without compromise.
According to the Associated Press, last week, John Thune added, “All it takes is a handful of Democrats to join the Republicans in keeping the government open and funded, and to ensure we have a chance to get the appropriations process completed in the way it was intended.”
Thus, 60 votes would be needed to pass any legislation, and with the Republicans having a razor-thin majority, there would have to be some Democrats who would have to vote with the Republicans to meet this requirement.
The two chambers are on recess throughout the week, further pressuring lawmakers to reach a compromise within an already constrained timeframe.
