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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 24 January 2018

A moment for moderates: Senators hope deal builds goodwill

Continued from Front as a “safe space” where
lawmakers can exchange
Senators have dubbed the ideas, regardless of party.
informal group the Com- “I hope we can kind of
mon Sense Caucus, but be an incubator of good
“hopefully it’ll grow large ideas — common sense
enough that we’ll eventu- ideas,” she said. “Our job
ally call it the United States is to keep government
Senate,” said Sen. Angus working.” The three-day
King of Maine, an inde- shutdown ended with
pendent who is one of the new assurances from Sen-
group’s informal leaders. ate Majority Leader Mitch
King has been here be- McConnell, R-Ky., that the
fore. Five years ago, he Senate would consider im-
was part of a similar but migration proposals in the
smaller group that worked coming weeks.
to end a 2013 government “We now have a window
shutdown. That group dis- of opportunity to show we
sipated after the govern- can work together and
ment reopened, but King build a bipartisan consen-
and others say the new ef- sus that produces a prod-
fort has a chance to stick uct worthy of time on the
around. (Senate) floor,” said Sen. From left, Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen.
“I think what’s different is Chris Coons, D-Del., one of Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., arrive at the Capitol after a bipartisan group of moderate senators held
a number of us have said, the leaders of the biparti- a private meeting on Day 2 of the federal shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, Jan.
‘Let’s keep this going. Let’s san group. In language re- 21, 2018. Sen. Angus King, I-Vt., is seen at rear.
not make this a shutdown- peated by other senators, (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
only event,’” King said in an Coons said the shutdown
interview. “Let’s talk about crisis provides an opening
some things we can do to to “let the Senate be the
improve how this place Senate” and allow free-
works.” flowing debate on immi-
If they can stay united, the gration and other issues.
group could be a crucial The concept does not ex-
voting bloc in the closely tend to the House or Presi-
divided Senate, King and dent Donald Trump’s White
other senators said. House — both of which
“I think everybody’s look- are likely to be formidable
ing for that middle,” said obstacles on immigration
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. — but those problems can
“Everybody has input. Ev- be addressed later, Coons
erybody trusts everybody and other senators said.
in that room.” “If President Trump would
Success in the Senate is far let the Senate be the Sen-
from guaranteed. Move- ate and work for the next
ment in the Republican- three weeks, I think he’d be
controlled House — where encouraged and surprised
the 2013 immigration bill at how positive the results
died without a vote — is could be,” Coons said.
even less certain, but sena- Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. was
tors said they are forging equally upbeat.
ahead. Flake, who has been push-
“For the first time, we at ing a bipartisan immigra-
least have some hope,” tion solution for months,
said Sen. Bill Nelson, D- said he is optimistic that the
Fla. “And that’s because spirit of cooperation born
you’ve got a bipartisan in Collins’ office — dubbed
group of senators that want Little Switzerland by sena-
to get something done.” tors — will extend to the
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R- debate on immigration
Alaska, sees the group and beyond.q