McConnell blocks Senate Democrats move to reopen the government

CNN ^ | 01/10/2019 | By Clare Foran and Ted Barrett, CNN

[SeekAndFind]

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked a move by Senate Democrats on Thursday to get the chamber to vote on spending bills to reopen the government on day 20 of the ongoing partial shutdown.

In a back-and-forth on the Senate floor, Senate Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, on Thursday called for the Senate to take up legislation advanced by House Democrats to reopen shuttered parts of the federal government and argued that parts of the federal government not related to the border wall should be re-opened immediately as negotiations continue over the border wall, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell objected to the move, saying that "political stunts are not going to get us anywhere."

McConnell has made clear that he won't take up any legislation related to the shutdown in the Senate that President Donald Trump won't sign. And the President has dug in in his refusal to sign legislation that does not meet his demand for roughly $5 billion for a border wall, which Democrats refuse to provide. "The last thing we need to do right now is trade pointless -- absolutely pointless -- show votes back and forth across the aisle," McConnell said on the floor. He added, "The political stunts are not going to get us anywhere." McConnell instead blamed Democrats for the impasse, saying that the shutdown has been "prolonged by my Democratic colleagues' refusal to even come to the table."

But the effort is a way for Senate Democrats to put pressure on Senate Republicans amid the ongoing government shutdown and highlight the legislation passed by the new House Democratic majority to reopen government.

Schumer argued that Senate Republicans must take action even if the President remains entrenched in his position.

[DarthVader]

Excellent!

[Baynative]

OMG! could it be true that the Turtle has found a spine?

[JonPreston]

Thank god we held the Senate. Turtles can be obstacles when positioned appropriately.

[CatOwner]

OMG! could it be true that the Turtle has found a spine?

Nearly every time someone on FR posts this, we somehow get screwed over soon after.

[HarleyD]

Seems to me the pressure is on Democrats and Trump. By their rebuttal that have made it into a Trump vs Pelosi/Shummer argument. Trump can handle the heat. The rest of the Republicans would be best just to sit back.

[Pollster1]

The Senate should take up the Homeland Security budget first - with $5.7B or more designated for the Wall. But it doesn’t matter until the House passes a Homeland Security bill, any Homeland Security bill.

[HombreSecreto]

All we need to keep firm:

1 Trump and 34 Senators

or

1 Trump and 148 Representatives

Just need Trump and enough legislators in one legislative chamber to sustain a veto.

[Magnum44]

So from whats not in the news, how are judge appointments coming along?

[Gasshog]

Eat Scheet Scummer. Ha ha

[Alberta's Child]

You're looking at this the wrong way.

Trump will never veto a bill to re-open the government.

That's why McConnell won't even allow a vote on a measure unless he knows Trump will sign it.

[Mr. K]

Like hell he won’t

[Political Junkie Too]

And remember that it was Schumer who refused to allow a vote in December on the Ryan funding bill. His complaints ring hollow now.

-PJ

[bert]

Surely not!

How can so many Freepers be so totally wrong ? /s

[jeffc]

Well, Reid refused to allow a vote, thus shutting down the government. Of course, the Repubs were blamed for it by not sending Obummer a bill he “could sign”...

[Windflier]

Let’s say the the entire federal expenditures for one year equal one dollar. Now take one penny out of that dollar and split it into ten equal parts.

Just one of those copper slivers represents what the President is requesting for this year’s wall construction.

That’s one tenth of one percent, yet the Democrats refuse to give it to him, even though a sizable number of the American people support building the wall.

[marajade]

I would say The President and the majority in the U S Senate have more power than Nancy in control of the House much to her dismay. LOL

[Huskrrrr]

Dems are experiencing a spending withdrawal, a Jones. As addicts, they can’t hold out much longer.

[JoSixChip]

Trump will never veto a bill to re-open the government. That's why McConnell won't even allow a vote on a measure unless he knows Trump will sign it.

That's just crazy talk. Trump is pulling mcconel along kicking and screaming. mcconnel has always been an open borders supporter. If Trump had not threatened veto, the budget would already be passed with no wall funding just like for the last 8 years.

[LS]

YERTLE Strong