Page 16 - HOSPITAAL

A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 28 May 2018

Budget battle brews as Trump threatens another shutdown

By ANDREW TAYLOR could lead to votes on con-
Associated Press tentious issues such as im-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- migration, the border wall,
dent Donald Trump has gun control and others that
warned Congress that he some lawmakers might
will never sign another foot- hope to avoid.
tall, $1 trillion-plus govern- Democrats are wary of
ment-wide spending bill like Republicans trying to jam
the one he did in March. His through the Pentagon
message to lawmakers in spending bill before deal-
both parties: Get your act ing with some agencies.
together before the next And Trump could blow up
budget lands on my desk. the whole effort at any
After a brief government time.
shutdown earlier this year, Trump is prone to threaten-
Democrats and Repub- ing government shutdowns
licans now agree on the on Twitter or when he riffs in
need for budgeting day-to- public, and then backing
day operations of govern- off when bills are delivered
ment by the old-fashioned to him.
way. That means weeks of In the House, a familiar
open debate and amend- problem awaits.
ments that empower rank- Many conservative Re-
and-file lawmakers, rather publicans won’t vote for
than concentrating power some bills because they
in the hands of a few lead- think they spend too much
ers meeting in secret. money. That means Demo-
But Capitol Hill’s dysfunction cratic votes are a must. But
is so pervasive that even many Democrats are upset
the most optimistic predic- over unrelated policy add-
tions are for only a handful ons pushed by the GOP,
of the 12 annual spending In this March 30, 2017, file photo, the Capitol Dome is seen at dawn in Washington. and they won’t vote for the
bills to make it into law by Associated Press spending bills unless those
Oct. 1, the start of the new security, we’ll have no advance, which has grat- cies such as the Depart- provisions are removed,
budget year. The rest may choice. We’ll close down ed on tea party lawmak- ment of Health and Human which usually doesn’t hap-
get bundled together into the country because we ers. GOP leaders such as Services and the Environ- pen until end-stage talks.
a single, massive measure need border security.” House Speaker Paul Ryan, mental Protection Agency. At the same time, House
yet again. At stake is the funding for R-Wis., and his predecessor That’s not the case in the GOP leaders are distract-
The worst-case scenario? A daily operations of gov- as speaker, Ohio Republi- Senate, where the new ed by disputes over immi-
government shutdown just ernment agencies. A bud- can John Boehner, have chairman of the Senate gration, and they haven’t
a month before Election get deal this year reversed preferred to focus on other Appropriations Committee, made the appropriations
Day, Nov. 6, as Republicans spending cuts that affect- priorities. Alabama Republican Rich- bills a priority.
and Democrats fight for ed military readiness and Ryan did throw his weight ard Shelby, is determined An effort led by House Ma-
control of the House and put a crimp on domestic behind a two-year budget to get the system working jority Leader Kevin McCar-
possibly the Senate. Trump agencies. agreement this year that again. Senate Democratic thy, R-Calif., to cut or “re-
is agitating for more money A $1.3 trillion spending bill set an overall spending limit leader Chuck Schumer of scind” $15 billion in unspent
for his long-promised bor- swept through Congress in of $1.3 trillion for both 2018 New York is on board, as is money has run into greater
der wall with Mexico. So March, though Trump en- and 2019, citing a need to Majority Leader Mitch Mc- opposition than anticipat-
far, he has been frustrated tertained last-minute sec- boost the Pentagon. Connell, R-Ky., himself a ed.
by limited success on that ond thoughts about the That, in theory, makes it decades-long veteran of Meantime, the chairman of
front. measure and promised he easier to get the appro- that powerful committee. the House Appropriations
“We need the wall. We’re would not sign a repeat. priations process back on “We want this to work,” Committee, Rep. Rodney
going to have it all. And The demise of the annual track. said Sen. Patrick Leahy, Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., is un-
again, that wall has start- appropriations process But in the GOP-controlled D-Vt., who criticized the popular with some House
ed. We got $1.6 billion. We took root after Republi- House, where Democratic GOP-controlled House for conservatives, who cite
come up again (in) Sep- cans took over the House votes are generally need- continuing to pack legisla- his votes against a recent
tember,” Trump said in a in 2011 and is part of a ed to pass the bills, Demo- tion with “poison pills.” farm bill and against last
campaign-style event in broader breakdown on crats are complaining that Obstacles remain, howev- year’s tax cut measure,
Michigan last month. Capitol Hill. The yearly bills Republicans have short- er. and that may hamper his
“If we don’t get border need bipartisan support to changed domestic agen- For starters, floor debates effectiveness.q