❓WHAT HAPPENED: Senate Republicans and Democrats reached an agreement to advance the government appropriations package, despite resistance from both sides of the aisle.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), President Donald J. Trump, and members of Congress.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The deal was struck on Friday, with a final Senate vote expected late Friday evening, as the government funding deadline looms at midnight.
🎯IMPACT: The agreement virtually ensures passage in the Senate but does not prevent a partial government shutdown over the weekend since it will take several days for the House to return to Washington, D.C.
The Senate cleared a key procedural hurdle late Friday afternoon, advancing a government appropriations package despite resistance from both sides of the partisan aisle. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has scheduled a final vote on the appropriations deal, initially struck late Thursday, for Friday evening after Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) dropped his hold on the combined government funding bills.
Called a minibus, the legislative package includes appropriations for five federal government departments but excludes funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a key demand of Senate Democrats seeking to defund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Instead, the chamber will vote on a two-week continuing resolution (CR) for DHS, setting up another funding fight in February.
President Donald J. Trump engaged in direct negotiations with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Republicans to reach the deal, which will avoid a prolonged government shutdown. Still, even with the Senate likely adopting the minibus and CR for DHS later Friday evening, the federal government will experience a brief funding lapse over the weekend as it will take several days for members of the House of Representatives to return to Washington, D.C. and approve the package.
The National Pulse reported earlier on Friday that an attempt to pass the funding deal fell apart late Thursday evening after Sen. Graham objected to procedural motions that would have expedited its passage. Graham expressed his dissatisfaction with the deal, stating, “This is a bad deal,” as he entered Thune’s office late Thursday evening. However, by Friday afternoon, the South Carolina Republican had dropped his opposition.
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