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Washington — Congressional leaders traded blame for the authorities shutdown on Sunday because the stalemate over how one can reopen the federal government stretched into one other week with out progress on negotiations.
The Senate is ready to reconvene Monday after dueling measures to fund the federal government fell in need of the required assist for a fourth time on Friday, displaying no signal of motion from both get together. In the meantime, Home Speaker Mike Johnson canceled plans for the decrease chamber return to Washington this week in an effort to extend strain on the Senate.
Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, mentioned Sunday on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that “the Home did its job” by passing a measure final month that might fund the federal government till Nov. 21, saying the explanation Home Republicans will stay of their districts this week is “as a result of we did that.”
“I pray that extra Democrats within the Senate will come to their senses and do the appropriate factor, and once they have the subsequent alternative on Monday to vote to open the federal government. I absolutely hope that they may,” Johnson mentioned.
The Home-passed measure first failed within the Senate on Sept. 19, with all however one Democrat opposing in favor of a separate measure to fund the federal government by means of October that additionally consists of Democrats’ well being care priorities. Then, as the federal government was hours from shutting down final week, the Senate voted once more on the measure, when two extra senators crossed the aisle to vote with Republicans in favor. However assist for the invoice nonetheless remained shy of the 60-votes required within the Senate.
Since then, Senate Republicans have been searching for to peel off Democratic assist for his or her measure, whereas Democratic leaders have remained agency of their demand {that a} funding measure embody an extension of medical health insurance tax credit. And in subsequent votes on Wednesday and Friday, Republicans had been unable to select up extra assist from Democrats on their invoice.
Johnson mentioned Republicans are prepared to barter on the medical health insurance tax credit, however he mentioned it is a sophisticated difficulty that can take time to handle, pointing to potential reforms geared toward removing “lots of fraud, waste and abuse.”
“We’re not saying that we can’t negotiate it,” Johnson mentioned. “We’re saying flip the lights again on in Congress.”
Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, who additionally appeared Sunday on “Face the Nation,” argued that Johnson is “not severe” about negotiating the well being care difficulty, pointing to his transfer to maintain the Home away from Washington this week. And the New York Democrat urged that the one approach the funding deadlock will likely be resolved is with a gathering between congressional leaders and the president.
“We have been making an attempt for months and months to sit down down with them and have a severe dialog addressing America’s healthcare wants, they usually’ve refused and refused and refused,” Schumer mentioned.
Schumer and Johnson, together with Senate Majority Chief John Thune and Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, met with President Trump final week. However the assembly failed to provide an settlement to avert a shutdown forward of the deadline. Schumer mentioned Sunday that Mr. Trump “wasn’t severe” within the assembly, after which the president posted what gave the impression to be an AI-generated video mocking the Democratic leaders.
“The American folks know that they are in cost — Republican president, Republican Senate, Republican Home — that they’ve a accountability to control, which suggests sit down and discuss with us so we are able to tackle these wants,” Schumer mentioned.
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