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U.S. NEWS Thursday 8 February 2018

Senate celebrates budget deal _ but shutdown still possible

President Barack Obama's ty's rank-and-file to oppose junior progressives elected
first term. That's when the measure, Democrats in recent years.
Congress passed massive said. The budget agreement
stimulus legislation to try to The deal contains far would give both the Pen-
stabilize a down-spiraling more money demanded tagon and domestic agen-
economy. by Democrats than had cies relief from a budget
"It's too much," said Rep. seemed possible only freeze that lawmakers say
Scott Perry, R-Pa., a fiscal weeks ago, including $90 threatens military readi-
hawk. billion in disaster aid for Flor- ness and training as well as
House Speaker Paul Ryan, ida and Texas. domestic priorities such as
R-Wis., however, backed Some other veteran Dem- combating opioid abuse
the agreement and was ocrats — some of whom and repairing the troubled
hoping to cobble together said holding the budget health care system for vet-
a coalition of moderate deal hostage to action erans.
Democrats and Republi- on Dreamer immigrants The core of the agreement
cans to push it through. had already proven to be would shatter tight “caps”

Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., left, and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., leave Despite the 77-year-old Pe- a failed strategy — ap- on defense and domestic
the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., just losi's public talkathon, she peared more likely to sup- programs funded by Con-
before the announcement of an agreement in the Senate on was not pressuring the par- port the agreement than gress each year. q
a two-year, almost $400 billion budget deal at the Capitol in
Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018.
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Continued from Front "Let Congress work its will,"
Pelosi said, before hold-
Senate leaders hope to ap- ing the floor for more than
prove the measure Thurs- eight hours without a break.
day and send it to the "What are you afraid of?"
House for a confirming vote The White House backed
before the government be- the deal — despite Presi-
gins to shut down Thursday dent Donald Trump's out-
at midnight. But hurdles re- burst a day earlier that he'd
main to avert the second welcome a government
shutdown in a month. shutdown if Democrats
While Senate Democrats didn't accept his immigra-
celebrated the moment of tion-limiting proposals.
rare bipartisanship — Minor- Trump himself tweeted that
ity Leader Chuck Schumer the agreement "is so impor-
called it a "genuine break- tant for our great Military,"
through" — progressives and he urged both Repub-
and activists blasted them licans and Democrats to
for leaving immigrants in support it.
legislative limbo. Top House But the plan faced criticism
Democrat Nancy Pelosi of from deficit hawks in his
California, herself a key ar- own party.
chitect of the budget plan, Some tea party Republi-
announced her opposition cans shredded the mea-
Wednesday morning and sure as a budget-buster.
mounted a remarkable Combined with the party's
daylong filibuster on the December tax cut bill, the
House floor, trying to force burst in military and other
GOP leaders in the House spending would put the
to promise a later vote on GOP-controlled govern-
legislation to protect the ment on track for the first
younger immigrants. $1 trillion-plus deficits since