As Trump Dawdles, Federal Government Hurtles Toward Avoidable Shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Hill newspaper reports: "Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill say Washington is headed for a government shutdown next week unless President Trump intervenes to cut a deal with Democrats."

Despite Trump's claims to the contrary, Republicans need Democratic buy-in to pass spending bills, but The Hill notes that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) does not want to sit down with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to negotiate a deal to keep the government open past September 30 because: "Republican sources familiar with the Senate's internal dynamics say that Thune doesn't want to begin negotiating with Schumer until he's clear what Trump is willing to accept, and Trump himself has yet to give the GOP leader clear guidance about what he would sign into law."

After this stunning admission, U.S. Senator Jack Reed stated: "Donald Trump has presided over multiple government shutdowns and now he's veering toward another one. A solution could have been reached weeks ago, but Donald Trump can't even be bothered to talk to Senate Republican leaders. Republicans are paralyzed by Trump's apathy and lack of focus. The dysfunction of this White House threatens to force an avoidable shutdown."

Sixty votes are needed to advance legislation in the U.S. Senate. Republicans currently hold a 53-seat majority in the U.S. Senate while Senate Democrats and Independents hold 47 seats.

Senate Democrats have offered a bill to keep the federal government funded on a short-term basis, protect Congress' power of the purse, and preserve existing health care programs. They have repeatedly requested bipartisan meetings to negotiate, but Trump ordered Senate Republicans not to hold discussions.

"Republicans unilaterally decimated Medicaid and are threatening access to affordable health care for millions of Americans, while the Trump Administration's stances, tactics, and giveaways to the insurance industry are threatening major health price hikes for over 150 million Americans with employer-sponsored health coverage. Democrats are united in demanding that Congress address this avoidable health care crisis on a bipartisan basis," said Reed.

The Hill noted:

"Thune said Republicans are discussing that issue [an extension of ACA health programs] but aren't close to a consensus on what needs to be done.

"It's another subject that we've had a number of discussions about and the House has too. The White House obviously is going to have to be involved in that conversation at some point," Thune said.

Senator Reed questioned why President Trump has been AWOL when it comes to basic governing: "Even Senator Thune seems frustrated at this point because of Trump's dawdling and lack of focus on the basic functions of government. President Trump claimed he could pass spending bills with only Republican votes. Now that the Senate has shown that it takes a bipartisan majority to pass legislation, he needs to start working. He must pick up the phone and talk to Senator Thune and Senator Schumer," said Reed.

The Hill also states:

"One Republican senator who requested anonymity to comment on Thune's relationship with Trump said the GOP leader wants to be careful of not getting too far in front of the president in any negotiation with Schumer.

"The lawmaker said the impasse between Thune and Schumer over the looming expiration of the Affordable Care Act premium subsidies is "solvable" but not without Trump giving GOP leaders on Capitol Hill the green light.

"The senator said Republicans even talked about extending the subsidies during the negotiation over the budget reconciliation package that enacted much of Trump's agenda and passed earlier this year.

"The lawmaker said it was left out in part because GOP lawmakers thought there would be bipartisan support for extending the subsidies at a later date."

Senator Reed stated: "Privately, Senate Republicans admit this is a mess of Trump's making. They anonymously confess to the press this impasse is easily "solvable" and the only holdup is Trump's refusal to give Republican leaders the greenlight to reach an agreement. GOP Congressional leaders are capable of reaching an agreement with Democrats that will ensure the government stays open and works for the American people, but they are wary because Trump has demonstrated in the past that he is capable of swooping in at the last minute to scuttle any agreement they reach."

As the shutdown looms at the end of the month, Congressional Republicans adjourned both the House and Senate chambers and the House is not scheduled to reconvene until after the shutdown deadline, another clear sign that Republicans are angling for a federal shutdown.

During President Trump's first term in office, his Administration forced several shutdowns - including a monthlong shutdown that was the longest in federal history. They were costly, wasteful, and achieved nothing.

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