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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 23 January 2018

Senate Dems relent, vote to end shutdown; House to follow

Continued from Front tiate with Democrats on
immigration until the gov-
Hours later the Senate ap- ernment was reopened,
proved the final bill by the and White House officials
same 81-18 vote, sending boasted that Trump didn’t
it to the House and Presi- reach out to any Demo-
dent Donald Trump for ex- cratic lawmakers during
pected approval so the the shutdown.
government can reopen. In fact, Trump, who regu-
White House press secre- larly disrupted negotiations
tary Sarah Sanders predict- in recent weeks, had been
ed that operations would a relatively subdued player
return to normal by Tues- in the weekend debate.
day morning. Democrats On Monday, he accused
climbed onboard after two Democrats of prioritizing
days of negotiations that services and security for
ended with new reassur- noncitizens over U.S. citi-
ances from Senate Majority zens. “Not good,” his first
Leader McConnell that the tweet said. In a second
Senate would consider im- tweet, he said, “Demo-
migration proposals in the crats have shut down our
coming weeks. But there government in the interests
were deep divides in the of their far left base. They
Democratic caucus over Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., heads to the chamber with fellow Democrats for don’t want to do it but are
strategy, as red-state law- a procedural vote aimed at reopening the government, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, powerless!”
makers fighting for their sur- Jan. 22, 2018. Trump’s first tweet ap-
vival broke with progressive (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) peared to undercut com-
looking satisfy liberals’ and ment, Trump said he’s open Feinstein of California, Kirst- rural state, nor did the deal ments by his legislative af-
immigrants’ demands, to immigration deal only if en Gillibrand of New York include additional resourc- fairs director, Marc Short,
Senate Democratic lead- it is “good for our country.” and Cory Booker of New es for border security. who told CNN that the im-
er Chuck Schumer lent Immigration activists and Jersey voted no, as did In- House Speaker Paul Ryan migrants in question are
his backing to the agree- other groups harshly criti- dependent Bernie Sanders told “Fox and Friends” law-abiding and “produc-
ment during a speech on cized the deal reached by of Vermont. Monday that if the Senate tive to our society.” Short
the chamber’s floor. “Now the Democratic leadership. Feinstein said she wasn’t approved a temporary says the administration
there is a real pathway to Cristina Jimenez, execu- persuaded by McCon- spending bill to reopen the wants to “find a pathway
get a bill on the floor and tive director of United We nell’s assurances and did government through Feb. for them” to stay in the U.S.
through the Senate,” he Dream, said the members not know how a proposal 8, the House would ap- Although the Democrats
said of legislation to halt any of the group are “out- to protect the more than prove it, too. initially dug in on a demand
deportation efforts aimed raged.” She added that 700,000 younger immi- McConnell said he hoped for an immigration deal,
at the younger immigrants. senators who voted Mon- grants would fare in the to reach bipartisan solu- they had shifted to blam-
However, the agreement day in favor of the deal House. tions on immigration, bor- ing the shutdown on the
to reopen the government “are not resisting Trump, Democratic Sen. Jon Tester der security, disaster aid, incompetence of Republi-
provided no certainty for they are enablers.” of Montana voted no on military funding and more cans and Trump. The Dem-
the “dreamers,” and the Other groups such as the the procedural motion to by Feb. 8. If not, he said ocrats seemed sensitive to
short-term stopgap sets American Civil Liberties re-open the government — “it would be my intention being seen by voters as will-
up another potential crisis Union expressed disap- the only no vote among 10 to take up legislation” ad- ing to tie up government
point on Feb. 8. pointment and shared simi- incumbent Democrats fac- dressing those issues. operations to protect im-
The White House down- lar criticism. ing re-election this year in Republicans have ap- migrants in the U.S. illegally.
played McConnell’s com- A block of liberal Demo- states won by Trump in 2016. peared increasingly confi- In an impassioned closed-
mitment, and said Demo- crats — some of them 2020 Tester said in a statement dent that Democrats would door meeting, Schumer
crats caved under pressure. presidential hopefuls — that the 17-day budget did bear the brunt of criticism told his members that Mc-
“They blinked,” principal stuck to their opposition. not include any funding for for the shutdown. The White Connell’s pledge was the
deputy press secretary Raj Sens. Elizabeth Warren of community health centers House and GOP leaders best deal they were going
Shah told CNN. In a state- Massachusetts, Dianne that are important to his said they would not nego- to get.q