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U.S. NEWS Friday 22 december 2017
House backs temporary spending bill to avert shutdown

bipartisan efforts to smash overseas wiretapping pro-
budget limits that are im- gram aimed at tracking
posing a freeze on the Pen- terrorists.
tagon and domestic agen- Failure to pass the tem-
cies, a long-term extension porary spending measure
of the popular Children’s would trigger a govern-
Health Insurance Program ment shutdown at mid-
for 9 million low-income night Friday, which would
kids and Senate legislation amount to a political
aimed at stabilizing health pratfall just after the GOP
insurance markets. scored a major win on the
Instead, lawmakers strug- landmark tax bill.
gled to achieve the bare Trump weighed in on Twit-
minimum: A $2.1 billion fix ter Thursday morning to of-
for an expiring program fer a boost — and a slap at
that pays for veterans to Democrats.
seek care outside the De- “House Democrats want a
partment of Veterans Af- SHUTDOWN for the holidays
fairs system; a temporary in order to distract from the
fix to ensure states facing very popular, just passed,
shortfalls from the Chil- Tax Cuts.
dren’s Health Insurance House Republicans, don’t
Program won’t have to let this happen. Pass the
purge children from the C.R. TODAY and keep our
An staffer sets up a table for an enrollment ceremony for the final version of the GOP tax bill at the program, and a short-term Government OPEN!” Trump
Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. extension for an expiring tweeted.q
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Continued from Front versed a tortured path, en-
countering resistance from
The wrap-up measure al- the GOP’s most ardent al-
lows Republicans control- lies of the military, as well as
ling Washington to savor opposition from Democrats
their win on this week’s $1.5 who demanded but were
trillion tax package — even denied a vote on giving
as they kick a full lineup of immigrants brought to the
leftover work into the new country as children and in
year. Congress will return in the country illegally an op-
January facing enormous portunity to become citi-
challenges on immigration, zens.
the federal budget, health President Donald Trump re-
care and national security scinded a Barack Obama
along with legislation to in- order giving these so-
crease the government’s called Dreamers protec-
authority to borrow money. tion against deportation,
Each of those items is sure kicking the issue to Con-
to test the unity that Repub- gress with a March dead-
licans are enjoying now. line.
“The more stuff that’s “They embody the best
pushed into January, it’s in our nation: patriotism,
unfortunate because we’ll hard work, perseverance,”
have to do this all over House Democratic Leader
again,” said Republican Nancy Pelosi of California
Sen. John Thune of South told the chamber’s Rules
Dakota. “But at some point Committee on Thursday.
we’ve got to make the “We should not leave them
hard decisions.” to celebrate the holidays in
The House then passed, by fear.”
a bipartisan 251-169 tally, a Trump and Republicans
$81 billion measure to de- are pushing for additional
liver rebuilding aid to hurri- border security and other
cane victims in Texas, Flor- immigration steps in ex-
ida, Puerto Rico and other change.
parts of the Caribbean as “The vast majority of Re-
well as fire-ravaged states. publicans want to see a
But the Senate was unlikely DACA solution. They just
to go along as both Re- want to see a DACA solu-
publicans and Democrats tion that’s balanced,” said
want changes. House Speaker Paul Ryan,
The stopgap legislation R-Wis., referring to the pro-
would keep the govern- gram’s name, Deferred Ac-
ment from closing down at tion for Childhood Arrivals
midnight Friday. It has tra- Also left unfinished were