Willie R. Tubbs, FISM News
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Update: On Wednesday afternoon, the short-term spending resolution passed through the Senate 65-35. The bill will now be sent to the House of Representatives for a vote. It will need to clear the House, and the president’s desk by midnight in order to prevent a government shutdown.
Late Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced members of the higher chamber of Congress had reached an agreement that would prevent a government shutdown.
“To prevent a government shutdown,” Schumer (D-N.Y.) said from the Senate floor, “Senate Democrats will be introducing a Continuing Resolution that keeps the government open until early December while also providing long-sought emergency funding to help Americans still reeling from natural disasters from this summer, as well as funding to help re-settle Afghan refugees.”
The measure has not yet passed, and were it to fail to gain Senate, House, and presidential approval before midnight tonight, the federal government would grind to a halt after Thursday.
“We can approve this measure quickly and send it to the House so it can reach the president’s desk before funding expires midnight tomorrow,” Schumer said. “With so many critical issues to address, the last thing the American people need right now is a government shutdown. This proposal will prevent one from happening, and I want to thank my colleagues who are working quickly to prepare this legislation.”
The bill would keep the government open until Dec. 3.
Importantly, the proposed bill would not raise the debt ceiling. Such a measure would likely doom the bill to failure as Republicans have stated they want Democrats to raise the debt ceiling alone. Monday, Republicans had blocked a House-approved spending bill because it contained a measure that would have raised the debt ceiling. The GOP has remained steady in opposing their involvement in this measure as they view a debt ceiling suspension as giving a blank check to the Democrats with which they will pass through their liberal agenda items.
While the government would continue to function into December, Schumer’s plan did nothing to resolve any of the disagreements that have divided Republicans and Democrats, as well as moderate and progressive Democrats. Both houses remain divided on funding for massive social programs and tax increases.
When he spoke to the Senate Wednesday, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) offered no indication of a softening of the Republican stance.
“Democrats want to jack up Americans’ tax rates, drain money from people’s pockets, spend it on socialism, and then say the whole thing nets out to zero dollars,” McConnell said.