Washington (AP) – Senate Majority Leader John Tune He rejects democratic demands on health care as unsafe, but says Government closure Despite the sharp division ahead of Wednesday’s funding deadline, it is still “avoidable.”
“I believe there is always a loophole,” the South Dakota Republican said in an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday. “And I think there’s an off-ramp here, but at least at this point, I don’t think the negotiating position that Democrats are about to come out here will take you there.”
Thune said Democrats must “dial back.” Their demandswhich quickly extended health insurance subsidies and includes a reversal of health policy for a massive tax bill passed by Republicans in the summer. Without that, Thune said “probably we’re moving forward towards a shutdown.”
This is the latest standoff for government funding in Washington, dating back through several administrations. President Donald Trump was the driving force behind him Longest shutdown ever As during his first term he sought money for the US Mexican border wall. This time it’s Democrats who are demanding in the face of intense pressure from their core supporters to stand up to the Republican president and his policies.
Democrats showed little signs of tolerance just before spending went out on Wednesday. Their position remained the same even after the White House Management Budget office on Wednesday. I’ve released a memo He said that if governments are shut down, many federal programs should consider “power reductions.” This means that thousands of federal workers can be fired forever.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer New York said the OMB memo was merely an “attempt to intimidate” and predicted that “an unnecessary dismissal would be overturned by court or that the administration would hire workers.”
Thune stopped criticizing the threat of a massive White House layoff and said the situation remains “hypothetical.” Still, he said in the memo “everyone knows Las Vault,” not to be surprised by the manager and budget director, and his head and his notes. Long-standing defense To cut the government.
“But it’s all avoidable,” Thune said. “So, if they don’t want to go down that path, there’s a way to avoid going down that path.”
Thune said one way to avoid closure would be enough to vote with Republicans for a stripped “clean” bill to keep the government open for the next seven weeks while spending negotiations continue. That’s how Republicans avoided the closure in March, and Schumer and several other Democrats decided to vote for Republicans in their final moments – Great political costs When Schumer’s party then rebelled.
The seven-week funding bill has already passed the House.
“What are eight Democrats willing to support?” Thune asked. “In terms of understanding the path to advance, or at least what that progress looks like.”
The 100 Senate Republicans need at least seven Democrats to vote with them to get the 60 votes they need for a short-term funding package, and they could lose up to two votes up to two, Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski and Kentucky’s Rand Paul. Reserved slip last week. Competing bills from Democrats were also short of 60 votes.
Thune proposed that individual bipartisan bills to fund a portion of the government the following year could become part of the compromise, but “but it requires cooperation from both sides,” he said.
Democrats say they’re not approaching them for Thune to negotiate and Trump is frustrated Suddenly the meeting was cancelled With Schumer of New York and House Democratic leader Hakem Jeffries, scheduled for this week. Trump wrote on social media:
Thune expressed his opinion on the meeting, saying that he had a conversation with the president, but he refused to disclose it. “But I think the president is speaking for himself and I think he has come to the conclusion that the meeting will not be productive,” Thune said.
Still, he says he believes Trump is open to negotiations on expanding healthcare subsidies that expire at the end of the year if Democrats weren’t threatening shutdowns. Many people who receive subsidies through markets set by the Affordable Care Act are expected to see The rapid rise in premiums If Congress does not expand them.
Some Republicans agree with Democrats that subsidies are necessary, but Thune says “reforms will have to be a large part of it.” Democrats are likely to oppose such changes.
By Monday, when the Senate returns to session, lawmakers will spend just 24 hours avoiding federal shutdowns.
Thune said he intends to nurture a bill that was rejected last week. “They have multiple possibilities to vote,” he said before the government shutdown began midnight on Wednesday.
He said he hoped “Coolerhead will win.”
“I don’t think a shutdown would benefit anyone, at least, Americans,” Tune said.
