The recent government shutdown was a result of a stalemate between Republicans and Democrats. On the table, was an Immigration standoff that involved Democrats advocacy to protect the DACA program while Republicans were against the move. The three-day government shutdown ended with the passing of a temporary (stopgap) spending bill. The government funding is to last them till February 8, 2018.
Recent political events dictate that there is a larger rift between the Congressional partisan members. The situation concludes that the standpoint will cause difficulties in solving thorny issues such as the immigration and border wall pending bills.
Stopgap Spending Bill Approved
On Tuesday, Congress approved another stopgap spending bill to keep the federal government running and stopping it from shutting down. The passing came hours after Trump said, while at the White House, that he would love to see another shutdown if immigration legislation were not included. Trump may have said the statement on a backdrop of allegations he has leveled against Democrats including blaming them for his limitations to run the country.
The House passed the bill in a 245-182 vote and sent it to the Senate. The bill seeks to extend most agencies funding till March 23 as the previous stopgap bill expires on February 8. Stopgaps are essential when Congress fails to pass a full budget on time. Passing a full budget may only suffice if the Congressmen come to an agreement on immigration and border wall legislature. Seeing as it may be difficult, Congress resorted to a stopgap spending bill.
The Senate is required to take up the bill on Wednesday and probably make some changes before advancing it back to Congress for further action. With a Thursday looming deadline on the previous spending bill, Trump is expected to sign the bill into law very soon.
Deductions from the Stopgap Bill
Despite Republicans being the majority in Congress, the bill is a further sign of their failure to get most of its basic work done. Donald Trump blames most of their inability on sabotage from the Democrats whom he claims are not team players.
On the contrary, the urgency of the bill has forced Democrats to cancel a retreat to Maryland’s Eastern Shore which they planned to go to on Wednesday. They plan to go on Friday reverting that they would rather talk strategy in the US Capitol instead. The move is the opposite of Trump’s allegations that Democrats are not team players.
