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News and updates

Both Senate Bills Go Down

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As expected, both versions of a Senate bill to reopen the government were defeated on procedural grounds earlier today.

To cut off debate and move to floor votes, both bills needed 60 votes, and neither reached that threshold.  The bill offered by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that contained the set of proposals from the President stalled by a vote of 50 to 47.  The counter offer from Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) fared better at 52-44 but did not hit the 60-vote mark.

As noted before, this series of votes represents the first set of floor activities related to the shutdown in the Senate.  The different parties now return to the negotiating table.

Read more about the votes here and here.

Senate Set to Vote on Competing Measures; Is That Progress?

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The Senate is scheduled to take up today two competing bills drafted to end the partial shutdown. Neither is expected to move forward.

The Republican measure follows the provisions outlined in President Trump’s remarks last weekend.  In addition to reopening the government, the bill also includes, among other provisions: $5.7 billion for a physical barrier; a three-year extension of protected status for 700,000 individuals currently in DACA; and a short-term extension for those currently Temporary Protected Status.  It would also make changes to the asylum process.

The Democrats’ counter-offer would reopen the government on a short-term basis through February 8, with no new funds for a border wall.  It also includes additional disaster funds and language that puts restrictions on how border security funds could be used.

With the current 53-47 make-up of the Senate, and because 60 votes would be needed to cut off debate and bring either measure to a vote, neither bill is expected to move forward in the process.  However, the votes today represent the first floor action in the Senate of any kind related to the reopening of the government since before the holidays.

 

House Continues to Take Up Funding Bills

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While the action in the Senate has been non-existent with respect to the shutdown, the House has been busy taking up and passing a host of bills to reopen the government.  None of the bills in the House has included funding for a border wall called for by the President.  The House action up to now has included passing individual bills as well as bundling them into a package.

Not surprisingly, the House action has not translated into Senate passage of any of the measures.

House Democrats Announce Appropriations Subcommittee Membership

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Today the House Democrats announced subcommittee membership for the House Appropriations Committee. Of note, Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) will serve on the Defense, Energy-Water, and Interior-Environment subcommittees. The full list is below.

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Sanford Bishop Jr. (GA) – Chair
Rosa DeLauro (CT)
Chellie Pingree (ME)
Mark Pocan (WI)
Barbara Lee (CA)
Betty McCollum (MN)
Henry Cuellar (TX)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
José Serrano (NY) – Chair
Matt Cartwright (PA)
Grace Meng (NY)
Brenda Lawrence (MI)
Charlie Crist (FL)
Ed Case (HI)
Marcy Kaptur (OH)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

Defense
Pete Visclosky (IN) – Chair
Betty McCollum (MN)
Tim Ryan (OH)
Dutch Ruppersberger (MD)
Marcy Kaptur (OH)
Henry Cuellar (TX)
Derek Kilmer (WA)
Pete Aguilar (CA)
Cheri Bustos (IL)
Charlie Crist (FL)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
Marcy Kaptur (OH) – Chair
Pete Visclosky (IN)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ)
Derek Kilmer (WA)
Mark Pocan (WI)
Lois Frankel (FL)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

Financial Services and General Government
Mike Quigley (IL) – Chair
José Serrano (NY)
Matt Cartwright (PA)
Sanford Bishop Jr. (GA)
Norma Torres (CA)
Charlie Crist (FL)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

Homeland Security
Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA) – Chair
Henry Cuellar (TX)
Dutch Ruppersberger (MD)
David E. Price (NC)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL)
Grace Meng (NY)
Pete Aguilar (CA)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Betty McCollum (MN) – Chair
Chellie Pingree (ME)
Derek Kilmer (WA)
José Serrano (NY)
Mike Quigley (IL)
Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ)
Brenda Lawrence (MI)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Rosa DeLauro (CT) – Chair
Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA)
Barbara Lee (CA)
Mark Pocan (WI)
Katherine Clark (MA)
Lois Frankel (FL)
Cheri Bustos (IL)
Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

Legislative Branch
Tim Ryan (OH) – Chair
Dutch Ruppersberger (MD)
Katherine Clark (MA)
Ed Case (HI)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL) – Chair
Sanford Bishop Jr. (GA)
Ed Case (HI)
Tim Ryan (OH)
Chellie Pingree (ME)
Matt Cartwright (PA)
Cheri Bustos (IL)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Chair
Barbara Lee (CA)
Grace Meng (NY)
David E. Price (NC)
Lois Frankel (FL)
Norma Torres (CA)

Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
David E. Price (NC) – Chair
Mike Quigley (IL)
Katherine Clark (MA)
Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ)
Brenda Lawrence (MI)
Norma Torres (CA)
Pete Aguilar (CA)
Nita M. Lowey (NY) – Ex Officio

No End in Sight as Partial Shutdown Hits 24th Day

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With the partial shutdown now in its 24th day, making it the longest shutdown in history by far, there is still no in sight.  The two sides– the White House and the Congressional Democrats– have dug in their heels and no other meetings have been scheduled.

It was widely reported last week that a sizable number of the federal employees impacted by the shutdown did not receive their paychecks last week.  While some parts of the country may not yet have been impacted by the shutdown, the Washington Post reports on what else could be impacted in the days and weeks to come.