By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Related Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — As the federal government shutdown enters its fourth week, Senate Republicans are headed to the White Home on Tuesday — not for pressing talks on tips on how to finish it however for a show of unity with President Donald Trump as they refuse to barter on any Democratic calls for.
Senate Democrats, too, are assured of their technique to hold voting in opposition to a Home-passed invoice that might reopen the federal government till Republicans, together with Trump, interact them on extending well being care subsidies that expire on the finish of the yr.
With either side exhibiting no indicators of motion, it’s unclear how lengthy the stalemate will final — at the same time as lots of of hundreds of federal staff will miss one other paycheck within the coming days and states are sounding warnings that key federal applications will quickly lapse utterly. And the lunch assembly within the White Home Rose Backyard seems unlikely, for now, to result in a bipartisan decision as Senate Republicans are dug in and Trump has adopted their lead.
Requested concerning the message at lunch, Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, second in Senate GOP management, informed Fox Information Channel’s “Fox & Buddies” on Tuesday that it will likely be, “Republicans are united, and I count on the president to say, ‘Stand sturdy.’”
Senate Republican chief John Thune, of South Dakota mentioned on Monday that he thinks Trump is able to “get entangled on having the dialogue” about extending the subsidies. “However I don’t suppose they’re ready to do this till (Democrats) open up the federal government,” he mentioned.
Missed paychecks and applications working out of cash
Whereas Capitol Hill stays at a standstill, the results of the shutdown are worsening.
Federal staff are set to overlook extra paychecks amid complete uncertainty about once they would possibly ultimately receives a commission. Authorities providers just like the Particular Supplemental Diet Program for Girls, Infants and Kids, often called WIC, and Head Begin preschool applications that serve needy households are going through potential cutoffs in funding. On Monday, Power Secretary Chris Wright mentioned the Nationwide Nuclear Safety Administration is furloughing 1,400 federal staff. The Federal Aviation Administration has reported air controller shortages and flight delays in cities throughout the US.
And because the shutdown retains future well being prices in limbo for hundreds of thousands of Individuals, most U.S. adults are anxious about well being care turning into dearer, based on a brand new Related Press-NORC Middle for Public Affairs Analysis ballot, as they make selections about subsequent yr’s well being protection.
Nonetheless, there was little urgency in Washington as both sides believes the opposite will ultimately cave.
“Our place stays the identical: We need to finish the shutdown as quickly as we will and repair the ACA premium disaster that looms over 20 million hardworking Individuals,” mentioned Senate Democratic chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Monday, referring to the expanded Inexpensive Care Act subsidies that expire in December.
Schumer known as the White Home assembly a “pep rally” and mentioned it was “shameful” that Home Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has saved the Home out of city through the shutdown.
November deadlines
Members of each events acknowledge that because the shutdown drags on, it’s turning into much less possible day-after-day that Congress will be capable to both prolong the subsidies or fund the federal government by way of the common appropriations course of. The Home GOP invoice that Senate Democrats have now rejected 11 instances would solely hold the federal government open by way of Nov. 21.
Thune on Monday hinted that Republicans might suggest an extended extension of present funding as a substitute of passing particular person spending payments if the shutdown doesn’t finish quickly. Congress would want to go an extension past Nov. 21, he mentioned, “if not one thing on a a lot longer-term foundation.”
Democrats are targeted on Nov. 1, when subsequent yr’s enrollment interval for the ACA protection begins and hundreds of thousands of individuals will join their protection with out the expanded subsidy assist that started through the COVID-19 pandemic. As soon as these sign-ups start, they are saying, it will be a lot more durable to revive the subsidies even when they did have a bipartisan compromise.
“Very quickly Individuals are going to should make some actually tough selections about which well being care plan they select for subsequent yr,” Schumer mentioned.
What about Trump?
Tuesday’s White Home assembly might be an opportunity for Republican senators to interact with the president on the shutdown after he has been extra concerned in international coverage and different points.
The president final week dismissed Democratic calls for as “loopy,” including, “We’re simply not going to do it.”
North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven mentioned that Republican senators will discuss technique with the president at Tuesday’s lunch. “Clearly, we’ll discuss to him about it, and he’ll give us his concepts, and we’ll discuss ours,” Hoeven mentioned. “Something we will do to attempt to get Democrats to hitch us” and go the Republican invoice to reopen the federal government, Hoeven mentioned.
Nonetheless, GOP lawmakers count on Trump to remain in keeping with their present posture to reject negotiations till the federal government is open.
“Till they put one thing affordable on the desk to speak about, I don’t suppose there’s something to speak about,” mentioned Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy.
Democrats say Trump needs to be extra concerned for the federal government to reopen.
“He must get off the sidelines, get off the golf course,” mentioned Home Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. “We all know that Home and Senate Republicans don’t do something with out getting permission from their boss, Donald J. Trump.”
Related Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves and Matt Brown contributed to this report.
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