On Thursday as the News Blender reported the Senate was expected to vote on two spending bills that would reopen the federal government which is now in it’s thirty-fourth day, both have been rejected by the Senate.
The first which was proposed by President Trump during a rare Saturday national address, included the $5.7 billion in border wall funding, plus as The Washington Post reports included the funding for, “750 more Border Patrol agents, 375 additional Customs and Border Protection officers and 2,000 more Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and support staffers.”
The President’s plan also included a three-year DACA extension which as the News Blender explained contained language that was likely to be rejected by the Democrats, considering that language would effectively end that program at the end of the three-year period.
According to Senate.gov, President Trump’s proposal failed on the cloture motion 50-47.
The second bill proposed by the Senate Democrats contained similar language as the Senate passed bill from December which would allow the government to reopen until February 8th.
According to The Washington Post it included no additional money for border security and did include $14 billion in “unrelated disaster-relief funding.”
This measure failed according to Senate.org, 52-44.
The linked Washington Post article notes that Senators, Mike Lee (R-UT), Tom Cotton (R-AR) voted against President Trump’s proposal, while Senator Joe Manchin voted yes.
Manchin also voted for the democrat measure having announced his intent on Twitter earlier Thursday citing the need to reopen the government as quickly as possible.
The article notes that voting in favor of the Democrat proposal were Republican Senators “Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Susan Collins (Maine), Cory Gardner (Colo.), Johnny Isakson (Ga.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Mitt Romney (Utah).”
CNN is reporting that the Senators are working toward a short-term Continuing Resolution that would reopen open the government for 3 weeks, while both parties reach a deal that President Trump will sign.
Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement via Twitter, explaining that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), are currently meeting in order to work on the C.R. that would reopen the government for three weeks, she added, in order for President Trump to sign off on the three-week C.R., it would need to include “a large down payment on the wall.”
President Trump spoke with reporters after the two Senate bills failed to gain the 60 votes needed.
Here are some clips.
TRUMP on Wilber Ross’s comments: “I think what Wilbur was probably trying to say is that [unpaid federal workers] will work along. I know banks are working along… The grocery store.” #WorkAlong pic.twitter.com/I8ONKcRv8v
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 24, 2019
REPORTER: “What is your message to federal workers missing another paycheck?”
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 24, 2019
TRUMP: “I love them. I respect them. I really appreciate the great job they are doing. Many of those people that are not getting paid are totally in favor of what we are doing.” pic.twitter.com/w0AP1vAuWU
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