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Nancy and Co. plan to pass the seven remaining appropriations bills individually rather than as an omnibus.

Regardless of the politics involved, passing individual appropriations bills instead of an omnibus appropriation is a good thing. Takes longer and may result in more earmarks (Congress supposedly doesn’t have earmarks any more, however a skunk by any other name …), but entails more scrutiny. Twelve appropriations bills are required for the process; two or more may be combined into a “minibus” or an “omnibus” to speed passage. Here’s a summary of what remains for the FY19 appropriations process:

http://www.crfb.org/blogs/appropriations-watch-fy-2019

https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/1519-2/

San Francisco – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on Democrats’ continuing actions to re-open government:

“While President Trump threatens to keep the government shut down for ‘years’, Democrats are taking immediate further action to re-open government, so that we can meet the needs of the American people, protect our borders and respect our workers.

“Next week, House Democrats will begin passing individual appropriations bills to re-open all government agencies, starting with the appropriations bill that covers the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. This action is necessary so that the American people can receive their tax refunds on schedule. The certainty of the tax returns of hard-working families should no longer be held hostage to the President’s reckless demands. This bill will then go to the Senate where it has already been passed with overwhelmingly bipartisan support.

“The senseless uncertainty and chaos of the Trump Shutdown must end, now.”