The divided Congress that convenes this week is getting an unwanted welcome gift from its Republican-run predecessor -- a partial government shutdown in its second week, amid a standoff over President Donald Trump’s demand to fund a southern border wall.
There are three basic ways the shutdown that started on Dec. 22 could end: Trump gives up the $5 billion he wants for the wall, Democrats give Trump his wall money, or both sides come up with a face-saving deal. There are many options for that type of deal.
Likely House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says her new Democratic majority will pass legislation to fund the shuttered federal agencies soon after she gets the gavel on Jan. 3. The spending plan’s content and duration aren’t yet clear, but it’s not expected to include money for the wall.
Senate Republicans say they won’t vote on any spending bill that Trump opposes. But as the shutdown drags on, some moderate Republicans may start pressuring Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take a more active role by putting the House bill on the floor for amendment.
House Republicans will also have a role to play, even though they’ll be in the minority. If some moderates start to balk at Trump’s hard-line strategy, they could back a bill to reopen the government and raise the prospect of overriding a Trump veto.
Here are some of the possible scenarios:
Democrats Win
Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer offered options to Trump during a heated Oval Office meeting on Dec. 11, including a six-bill spending package with a stopgap for Homeland Security and a full-year stopgap spending bill for all the closed federal departments. A House Democratic aide said the most likely is the six-bill package based on bipartisan draft Senate spending bills. It would give new spending totals through September for the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Treasury, State, Commerce and Justice, as well as related agencies. Under the second option, funding would stay at current levels through September with some negotiated exceptions, such as adding aid for hurricane and wildfire relief.
Trump is dug in and isn’t likely to accept either option. Both would provide $1.3 billion for border security, though it couldn’t be used for new fencing.
Stopgap Spending Into February
A stopgap bill opening the government through Feb. 8 passed the Senate on a voice vote earlier this month before being scuttled in the House by outgoing Speaker Paul Ryan and the threat of a veto from Trump. As the pain of the federal shutdown increases and workers miss their Jan. 11 paychecks, this option could become more attractive. Lawmakers could also keep current spending levels into March or later.
Senate Compromise Revived
Lawmakers could revive a deal reached in August by Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby and top committee Democrat Patrick Leahy to provide $1.6 billion for border barriers, including about 65 miles (105 km) of pedestrian fencing near the Rio Grande River. “I think $1.6 billion has a nice ring to it,” said outgoing Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn just prior to the shutdown.