Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 18 september 2019

Continued from Front women about their abor- can't agree on lower-tier
Majority Leader Mitch Mc- tion options, threatened an items that typically pass
Connell, R-Ky., has set amendment to reverse the by wide margins, such as
up a procedural vote for administration's abortion short-term extensions of
Wednesday on a huge "gag rule." the federal flood insurance
measure to fund the Pen- McConnell said Murray's program and the Export-
tagon, foreign aid, and amendment — it would Import Bank, which helps
domestic agencies like the have likely passed the Ap- finance export deals impor-
energy and education de- propriations Committee tant to large manufactur-
partments, but Democrats over opposition from GOP ers such as The Boeing Co.
appear likely to filibuster the conservatives and the pres- The House and Senate
measure to protest what ident — would violate the banking committees are
they say is a raid on health agreement to avoid po- responsible for legislation
and education programs litically toxic "poison pills," to reauthorize both the Ex- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined at left by
Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., speaks to reporters during a news con-
to pay for more border wall and the typically bipartisan port-Import Bank and the ference at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019.
projects. Next steps are un- appropriations process in flood insurance program, Associated Press
clear at best, and fears are the Senate ran aground. which is particularly impor-
growing that most of the A top Senate Democrat, tant to the real estate sec- of the year. Democratic A new bipartisan report by
government, including the Dick Durbin of Illinois, said tor in coastal areas. But leaders opted against try- the Senate's Permanent
Defense Department, will that Democrats want al- there's been no progress, ing to use the bill as a way Subcommittee on Investi-
have to run on autopilot at locations they consider to so temporary extensions to take on Trump contro- gations released Tuesday
current funding levels. be fairer to social programs of the two programs have versies like cutting military found that this year's shut-
"Of course Democrats op- and agreements on plot- been attached to the in- base projects to pay for his down and a more wide-
pose taking funds from ting floor consideration of terim spending bill. U.S.-Mexico border wall. But spread 2013 shuttering
Congress for our military to legislation so they are not Democrats are deferring they're not granting Trump of federal agencies cost
use on the president's bor- at a disadvantage in fight- a showdown over Trump's any favors, either, denying taxpayers about $4 billion,
der wall. Everyone knows ing for their priorities. "We border wall, which sparked provisions such as the flex- mostly for back pay for
that," Schumer said Tues- get those things and the a 35-day partial govern- ibility to build new border workers who did not work
day. "McConnell has been poison pills start drifting ment shutdown at the turn wall segments. during the shutdowns. q
accusing Democrats of away," Durbin said.
threatening to block mili- The Senate Appropriations
tary funding because we Committee on Tuesday did
don't want to pass a bill approve three bipartisan
that steals money from the bills funding transportation
military." and housing, the IRS and
The maneuvering highlights the Treasury Department,
the precarious nature of and agriculture programs.
the summer's bipartisan The stopgap measure to
budget pact, which com- fund the government is
bined a two-year increase aimed at buying time for
in the national debt with a action and negotiations
set of new spending "caps" on $1.4 trillion in annual
to prevent the return of au- appropriations bills. Some
tomatic, across-the-board items can't wait and will be
spending cuts to both the included, like accelerated
Pentagon and domestic funding for the 2020 census
federal agencies. and $20 million to combat
In that agreement, both Ebola in Africa. Since the
sides promised to steer temporary spending bill is
clear of controversial provi- the only must-do legislation
sions that, if included in the on the immediate horizon,
bills, would be so politically lawmakers are using it as
nettlesome that they would a locomotive to haul other
derail the entire process. priorities into law. That bun-
But Sen. Patty Murray, D- dle of provisions, negoti-
Wash., upset that educa- ated behind closed doors,
tion and health programs offers plenty of evidence
within her jurisdiction have of Capitol Hill's chronic dys-
been shortchanged and function. It's not just that
angry over a new Trump the Democratic-controlled
administration rule ban- House and GOP-held Sen-
ning family planning pro- ate can't agree on big is-
viders that accept fed- sues like infrastructure, guns
eral funds from counseling and health care. They also